Determination and pharmacokinetics of dextromoramide in methadone maintenance therapy.

To study the pharmacokinetics of dextromoramide in long‐term opiate addicts on methadone maintenance therapy (MMT) a reverse‐phase HPLC technique was developed to monitor dextromoramide and methadone concentrations in plasma simultaneously. After liquid‐liquid extraction from plasma, dextromoramide and methadone were determined using a Supelcosil LC‐ABZ column and a mobile phase of KH2phosphate buffer (25 mM, pH 2.5) mixed with acetonitrile (80:20, v/v) and UV detection at 206 nm. The method was found to be sufficiently sensitive, specific and reproducible to apply in six subjects on MMT for many years, receiving orally administered dextromoramide as adjuvant. Pharmacokinetic data sets for dextromoramide in each subject were conducted and analysed further, indicating short elimination half‐life values (71 min, range 31‐152 min). Contrary to previous studies, in all subjects tested the pharmacokinetics of dextromoramide are best described using an one‐compartment model.