Application of an LC-MS/MS Method to a Urinary Excretion Study of Triflusal and its Main Metabolite 2-hydroxy-4-trifluoromethyl Benzoic Acid in Human Urine

Objective: A validated liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method (LCMS/ MS) was established to simultaneously determine the concentration of triflusal and its main metabolite 2-hydroxy-4-trifluoromethyl benzoic acid(HTB) in human urine. Methods: The separation was performed on a Dikma C18 column using isocratic elution with acetonitrile-4 mmol/L ammonium acetate aqueous solution containing 0.3 % formic acid water (78: 28, V/V). The method involved extraction with methanol using protein precipitation. The precursor-toproduct ion transitions with multiple reaction monitoring was m/z 247.1→161.1, 204.8→106.7and 136.9→93.0 for triflusal, HTB and salicylic acid(IS), respectively. The method showed good linear relationships over the ranges of 0.08 to 48 μg/mL and0.5 to 50 μg/mL. Results: It was the first time that a urinary excretion study of triflusal capsule as oral. The cumulative urinary recovery showed 8.5% and 2.7% for triflusal and HTB, respectively. Conclusion: This method was successfully used for evaluating the pharmacokinetic properties of triflusal and HTB in urine in Chinese healthy subjects.