Development and validation of an LC-MS/MS method by one-step precipitation for cinacalcet in human plasma

A sensitive, convenient, rapid and economic liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method was developed to determine cinacalcet concentration in human plasma. A stable isotope cinacalcet (cinacalcet-D(3)) was selected as internal standard and the analytes were extracted from plasma samples by a one-step precipitation procedure. Chromatography separation was conducted on an Eclipse Plus C18 column by gradient elution with mobile phase of methanol-water-ammonium formate system at a constant flow rate of 0.6 mL/min. Mass spectrometric detection was conducted by multiple reaction monitoring using positive electrospray ionization. Cinacalcet concentrations in human plasma were determined over the concentration range of 0.1–50 ng/mL. The accuracies of lower limit of quantification (LLOQ) and quality control samples were all within the range of 85–115%, and the inter- and intra-batch precisions (CV%) were all within 15%. The average extraction recovery rates were 95.67–102.88%, and the quantification was not interfered by the matrix components. The validated method was successfully applied to determined cinacalcet concentrations in human plasma from secondary hyperparathyroidism patients.