Development and validation of an HPLC method for the determination of dibenzoylmethane in rat plasma and its application to the pharmacokinetic study

A highly sensitive and simple high-performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) assay has been developed and validated for the quantification of dibenzoylmethane (DBM) in rat plasma. DBM and internal standard (I.S.) 1-(5-chloro-2-hydroxy-4-methylphenyl)-3-phenyl-1,3-propanedione (CHMPP) were extracted from rat plasma by ethyl acetate/methanol (95:5, v/v) and analyzed using reverse-phase gradient elution with a Phenomenex Gemini C18 5-μm column. A gradient of mobile phase (mobile phase A: water/methanol (80:20, v/v) with 0.1% TFA and mobile phase B: acetonitrile with 0.1% TFA) at a flow rate of 0.2 mL/min, and ultraviolet (UV) detection at 335 nm were utilized. The lower limit of quantification (LLOQ) using 50 μL rat plasma was 0.05 μg/mL. The calibration curve was linear over a concentration range of 0.05–20 μg/mL. The mean recoveries were 80.6 ± 5.7, 83.4 ± 1.6 and 77.1 ± 3.4% with quality control (QC) level of 0.05, 1 and 20 μg/mL, respectively. Intra- and inter-day assay accuracy and precision fulfilled US FDA guidance for industry bioanalytical method validation. Stability studies showed that DBM was stable in rat plasma after 4 h incubation at room temperature, one month storage at −80 °C and three freeze/thaw cycles, as well as in reconstitute buffer for 48 h at 4 °C. The utility of the assay was confirmed by the successful analysis of plasma samples from DBM pharmacokinetics studies in the rats after oral and intravenous administrations.