Development and validation of LC-MS/MS assay for the determination of Butoconazole in human plasma: Evaluation of systemic absorption following topical application in healthy volunteers

Butoconazole is an imidazole antifungal that is more effective than miconazole and clotrimazole for treatment of vaginal candidiasis. A highly sensitive tandem mass spectrometric assay was developed and validated to evaluate systemic absorption of Butoconazole following intravaginal administration. Chromatographic separation was achieved using Waters Xterra C18 column (3 µm, 3.0 × 50.0 mm). Liquid-liquid extraction using tert-butyl methyl ether was used for preparation of plasma samples. The mobile phase was solvent A: 0.1% formic acid in water and solvent B: acetonitrile: methanol (30:70, v/v), using gradient elution mode at 0.5 mL/min. Detection at positive electrospray ionization in the MRM mode was then employed. Analysis was carried out within 5.5 min over a linear concentration range of 0.10–30.00 ng/mL. Validation was carried out according to US FDA guidelines for bioanalytical method validation. Matrix effect, recovery efficiency and process efficiency have been investigated for the analyte and internal standard in neat solvent, post-extraction matrix and plasma. The mean percentage recoveries were higher than 80%, the accuracy was 93.51–106.85% and the RSD was below 10% throughout the studied concentration range. Results indicated sufficient stability of the target analyte in plasma at the employed experimental conditions. Results of incurred sample re-analysis and incurred sample stability revealed less than 5% variability. The applicability of the assay for monitoring of the systemic absorption of Butoconazole following intra vaginal application to healthy volunteers was demonstrated. Results confirmed that Butoconazole was detected shortly after intra vaginal administration with C_max and t_max of 30 ng/mL and 6 h, respectively.