Liquid Chromatography-Electrospray Mass Spectrometry Determination of Ibogaine and 12-Hydroxy-Ibogamine in Human Urine

Abstract

A specific and sensitive liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization mass spectrometry method was developed for the determination of ibogaine and noribogaine in human urine. The work-up procedure involved a solid phase extraction of the compounds and the internal standard (fluorescein) using Oasis HLB columns. The system used a Zorbax eclipse XDB C8 analytical column packed with 5µm diameter particles as the stationary phase. The mobile phase consisted of a 20-min gradient (mobile phase A: 0.02% (v/v) trimethylamine in acetonitrile, mobile phase B: 2 mM ammonium formate buffer (pH 3)). Mass spectrometric data were acquired in single ion monitoring mode at m/z 311.1, 297.2 and 333 for ibogaine, noribogaine and fluorescein, respectively. The drug/internal standard peak area ratios were linked via a quadratic relationship to concentrations (1.78−358 μg L⁻¹ for ibogaine; 2−400 μg L⁻¹ for noribogaine). Precision ranged from 5.8 to 14.8% and accuracy was between 93.2 and 112.9%. Mean extraction recoveries of ibogaine, noribogaine and fluorescein were 70.0, 81.7 and 94.8%, respectively. The extraction efficiency was independent of concentration over the range studied. The lower limits of quantitation were 1.78 μg L⁻¹ for ibogaine and 2 μg L⁻¹ for noribogaine. In this paper, extensive stability testing was undertaken using a wide range of storage conditions. This method was found suitable for urine analysis of a poisoning involving ingestion of drink made from powdered root of shrub Tabernanthe iboga.