Development and validation of a new method for the quantification of norfloxacin by HPLC-UV and its application to a comparative pharmacokinetic study in human volunteers

Abstract

The development and validation of a simple and accurate method based on HPLC with ultraviolet detection for the quantification of norfloxacin (NFX) in human plasma and its application to a bioequivalence study between two norfloxacin formulations is described. NFX and the internal standard (cyprofloxacin) were extracted from plasma using liquid-liquid extraction. Chromatographic separation of norfloxacin, cyprofloxacin and plasma interferents was achieved with a C-18 column and a mobile phase consisting of 20 mM sodium hydrogen phosphate buffer pH 3.0 and acetonitrile (88:12, v/v) and quantitation was done at 280 nm. The method was linear from 25 to 3000 ng mL-1 (r2 ≥ 0.997578), and norfloxacin and cyprofloxacin had an average recovery from plasma of 93.9% and 91.2% respectively. The RSD of inter-day quality control samples at the lower limit of quantification was less than 15%. After a single oral dose (400 mg) of norfloxacin administered to healthy human volunteers using a randomized 2x2 crossover design, pharmacokinetic parameters (AUC0-t, AUC0-∞, Cmax, t1/2) were derived from the plasma concentration curves for both formulations. Pharmacokinetic analysis of the data showed that the two formulations were bioequivalent, while no adverse reactions to the drug were observed.