Quantitative determination of deferiprone in human plasma by reverse phase high performance liquid chromatography and its application to pharmacokinetic study

Deferiprone (1, 2 dimethyl-3-hydroxypyrid-4-one) is considered to be the standard iron chelator. Pharmacokinetic studies of generic formulations are required in local condition before placed on the market. High performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) method was used for quantification of deferiprone in human plasma using UV/VIS detector. Chromatographic separation was carried out on C18 column, with a mobile phase of methanol-buffer (18:82, v/v), pH 3.5, and caffeine was used as an internal standard. The calibration curve was linear over the range 0.25-10 μg/mL in human plasma (R^2 = 0.9994). After oral administration of deferiprone (500 mg) to human, the plasma concentration-time curve of deferiprone was conformed to two-compartment open model. The deferiprone plasma concentration showed a rapid absorption and average area under the plasma concentration-time curve (AUC) of deferiprone was 17.0 ± 1.23 h.μg/mL. Average absorption and elimination half-life values of deferiprone of 24 volunteers were 0.62 ± 0.12 and 2.65 ± 0.43 hours. This study confirms the rapid absorption of deferiprone in humans. AUC was similar to that previously reported but Cmax was slightly lower than that stated in the literature.