Quantitative analysis of carisoprodol and meprobamate in whole blood using benzylcarbamate and deuterated meprobamate as internal standards

J Anal Toxicol. 2009 Jun;33(5):278-82. doi: 10.1093/jat/33.5.278.

Abstract

Carisoprodol and meprobamate are frequently encountered drugs in impaired driving casework. Deuterated internal standards, although preferred, were not available until recently. Earlier published studies report the use of a variety of non-deuterated internal standards, many of which lack the chemical and physical similarities that are desired for quantitative analysis. Carisoprodol and meprobamate were determined in whole blood using solid-phase extraction and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry with benzylcarbamate and meprobamate-d(7) as internal standards. When benzylcarbamate was used as internal standard, the linear ranges for carisoprodol and meprobamate were 0-20 mg/L and 0-40 mg/L, respectively. The linear range increased to 100 mg/L when meprobamate-d(7) was used. Limits of detection for carisoprodol and meprobamate were 0.2 and 0.4 mg/L, respectively, regardless of the internal standard selection. The limit of quantitation for both drugs using either internal standard was 0.4 mg/L. Accuracies using benzylcarbamate and meprobamate-d(7) were 100-106% and 91-100%, respectively. Corresponding values for precision indicated intra-assay coefficients of variation of 2.6-4.3% for benzylcarbamate and 1.0-2.3% for meprobamate-d(7). No carryover was evident at 100 mg/L, the highest concentration tested, and no interferences were observed. Results indicated that either benzylcarbamate or meprobamate-d(7) is a suitable internal standard for quantitative determination of carisoprodol or meprobamate from whole blood.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Carbamates / blood
  • Carisoprodol / blood*
  • Carisoprodol / chemistry
  • Cattle
  • Deuterium / chemistry
  • Forensic Medicine / methods
  • Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry / methods
  • Meprobamate / blood*
  • Meprobamate / chemistry
  • Muscle Relaxants, Central / blood*
  • Muscle Relaxants, Central / chemistry
  • Reference Standards
  • Reproducibility of Results
  • Solid Phase Extraction / methods
  • Substance Abuse Detection / methods

Substances

  • Carbamates
  • Muscle Relaxants, Central
  • Carisoprodol
  • Meprobamate
  • Deuterium