Development and Validation of a GC-MS Method for the Detection and Quantification of Clotiapine in Blood and Urine Specimens and Application to a Postmortem Case

Abstract EN

Introduction.

Clotiapine is an atypical antipsychotic of the dibenzothiazepine class introduced in a few European countries since 1970, efficient in treatment-resistant schizophrenic patients.

There is little published data on the therapeutic and toxic concentrations of this drug.

Aims.

The aim of the present study is the development and validation of a method that allows the detection and quantification of clotiapine in blood and urine specimens by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS).

Methods.

Validation was performed working on spiked postmortem blood and urine samples.

Samples were extracted with liquid-liquid extraction (LLE) technique at pH 8.5 with n-hexane/dichloromethane (85/15 v/v) and analysis was followed by GC-MS.

Methadone-d9 was used as internal standard.

Results.

The limit of detection (LOD) was 1.2 and 1.3 ng/mL for urine and blood, respectively, while the lower limit of quantification (LLOQ) was 3.9 and 4.3 ng/mL, respectively.

Linearity, precision, selectivity, accuracy, and recovery were also determined.

The method was applied to a postmortem case.

The blood and urine clotiapine concentrations were 1.32 and 0.49 μg/mL, respectively.

Conclusions.

A reliable GC-MS method for the detection and quantification of clotiapine in blood and urine samples has been developed and fully validated and then applied to a postmortem case.