Quantification of simvastatin in mice plasma by near-infrared and chemometric analysis of spectral data

Time and cost saving is an essential requirement in pharmacokinetics and bioequivalence studies. The aim of this study is to use a simple, fast, and nondestructive near-infrared transmission spectroscopic method to quantify simvastatin (SMV) concentrations in mice plasma and also to improve SMV bioavailability by using alpha-lipoic acid as a carrier. Calibration curve was built at a concentration range of 10–250 ng/mL, and HPLC method was considered as a reference method. A partial least squares regression analysis model was used for method development, which gave less root mean square error cross-validation. Comparison of SMV concentrations obtained from both instruments showed no statistically significant differences between all the data. Near-infrared spectroscopy was utilized as a rapid, simple accurate method to quantify drug–plasma concentrations without need for any extraction protocols, and the significant effect of alpha-lipoic acid as a novel carrier to enhance SMV bioavailability is also addressed.