Search

Histamine is an important biogenic amine involved in regulating numerous physiological and pathophysiological processes in humans and animals. To date, there have been very few studies focused on developing and validating sensitive liquid-chromatography-tandem mass spectrometric (LC-MS/MS) assays capable of quantitative trace level histamine analysis in biological matrices. In the present study, a rapid and sensitive LC-MS/MS assay, amenable to high throughput analysis was developed and validated to characterize in vitro and in vivo histamine release. The LC-MS/MS procedure incorporating deuterium labeled internal standards provides rapid resolution of histamine with excellent sensitivity, precision, and accuracy. Histamine eluted at 1.5 min and was well separated from endogenous plasma peaks. The total run time of the assay was 8.0 min. A linear (r(2) ≥ 0.99) instrument response over the entire concentration range of 1.0-1000 ng/mL was observed. Excellent accuracy (error ± 3.4%) and precision (CV ± 10%) of the assay was demonstrated, with the lower limit of quantitation (LLOQ) at 15.6 ng/mL. The validated LC-MS/MS assay was applied to determine histamine release in both in vitro and in vivo models. Peritoneal mast cells treated with prototypical degranulating agents (Compound 48/80 and Teicoplanin) showed that the two chemicals caused approximately 40% histamine release. In rats, using this assay, basal histamine plasma levels were typically under 100 ng/mL. Treatment with an agent suspected of causing anaphylactic type reactions resulted in plasma histamine levels to increase above 3000 ng/mL. The LC-MS/MS assay presented in this study can be applied to further characterize the physiological and pathophysiological role of histamine release in complex in vitro and in vivo models. Importantly, the LC-MS/MS assay may be useful in assessing active pharmaceutical ingredient-mediated degranulation and anaphylaxis as part of either a pre-market or a post-market assessment of drug products.

Tacrolimus (FK506) is a potent, narrow therapeutic index, immunosuppressive drug used to avoid organ rejection in patients that have undergone organ transplantation. Recent clinical reports suggested a significant reduction in the tacrolimus concentration/dose ratio in the plasma of liver and kidney recipients when the reference listed drug was substituted with a generic drug. In response to these concerns about switching between tacrolimus from different approved manufacturers during treatment, the FDA initiated purity, potency and quality studies of the innovator and generic tacrolimus products available in the US marketplace. A combination of analytical methods, including mass spectrometry (LC-MS), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and bioactivity assay were developed and validated to assess the quality of tacrolimus. These tests measured the identity, impurities and activity of tacrolimus from active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) sources and with formulated drug product from five different approved manufactures. In addition, some testing was performed on tacrolimus capsules obtained from a non US approved Indian source. The data obtained showed no discernible difference in the impurity profiles and potency between the generic and innovator tacrolimus products.

Previously, the FDA validated a method to assess the structure and composition of heparin products by separating and quantifying disaccharide level digests by reverse-phase-ion-pairing liquid chromatography (RPIP-HPLC) coupled to a low resolution and low sensitivity ion trap mass-spectrometer. Here, improved separation, information content and sensitivity were obtained through the use of reverse phase ion-pairing ultra-high pressure liquid chromatography (RPIP-UHPLC) coupled with a quadrupole time-of-flight (Q-TOF) mass spectrometer. Thus, with the new method, improved structural characterization of the same 20 lots of heparin sodium active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) as were analyzed in the previous work were obtained. In addition, for the first time, 10 low molecular weight heparin (LMWH) lots were characterized representing multiple lots manufactured by three different processes (dalteparin, tinzaparin or enoxaparin). In this study, UHPLC separation conditions and the enzymatic digesting protocol were optimized for analysis of disaccharide level digests of heparin and positive and negative electrospray ionization (ESI) modes were tested. The negative ion mode ESI analysis was found to be superior to the positive ion mode for these measurements, and a combination of heparin lyase II and III were optimal for heparin digestion. The data obtained establishes the normal variation in the composition of heparin sodium or LMWHs in this assay. These values are useful as possible product benchmarks and for surveillance of the heparin products being imported into the US market.