OBJECTIVETo establish an HPLC method for analysis of bis(p-fluorobenzyl) trisulfide(BFTS) and bis(p-fluorobenzyl)disulfide(BFDS) in the lungs of rat.

METHODS5.0 ml extract solvent (n-hexane: isopropyl alcohol=95:5, v/v) and 20 microl of 11.50 microg/ml dibenzyl disulfide (internal standard) were added to 0.2 g lung sample followed by homogenization. After centrifugation, 4.0 ml of supernatant was separated and vaporized to dryness, and the residue was reconstituted in mobile phase for HPLC analysis. The HPLC analysis was performed on an SB C18 column using acetonitrile and water (65:35, v/v) as mobile phase with a flow rate of 1.0 ml/min with UV detection at 220 nm.

RESULTThe calibration curves for BFTS and BFDS in sample were linear over the concentration ranges of 0.04712-14.78 microg/g(r=0.999) and 0.04831-23.96 microg/g(r=0.999), respectively. The limits of quantification were 0.04712 microg/g and 0.04831 microg/g for BFTS and BFDS, respectively. The assay recoveries for BFTS and BFDS ranged from 95.71%-107.2% and 90.00%-110.5%, respectively. The precisions were obtained with RSD of <10%. The developed method was successfully applied to study the content of BFTS and BFDS in the lungs of rats after intravenous injection of 12.5 mg/kg BFTS.

CONCLUSIONThe method developed is simple, selective, repeatable and accurate, which can be applied to study the tissue distribution of BFTS and BFDS.