A Rapid and Sensitive HPLC‐MS/MS Method for Quantification of Propranolol in Rat Plasma and the Application to Pharmacokinetic Study

ABSTRACT A novel HPLC‐MS/MS method has been developed for the determination of propranolol in rat plasma in the present study. The analytes of interest were retained and separated on a C 18 column, and a triple‐quadrupole mass spectrometry equipped with an electrospray ionization (ESI) source was applied for quantification. A simple protein precipitation method was used to pretreat the plasma; the extraction recovery (ER) was about 100%, and the matrix effect (ME) could be negligible. The method was linear over the concentration ranges of 0.625–2500.00 ng/mL for propranolol. The precision and accuracy were within acceptable limits. The lowest limit of quantification (LLOQ) was 0.625 ng/mL. This simple method was validated and successfully applied to support the pharmacokinetic study after administration of the propranolol transdermal drug delivery system to Sprague–Dawley rats.