A Simple and Efficient Method to Determine Rivaroxaban in Rat Plasma Using Liquid-Liquid Extraction and LC-MRM

Rivaroxaban (RRN) is the first available active direct factor Xa inhibitor (anticoagulant) with oral administration. Due to its success in market, there have been efforts to develop various RRN formulations, and the development of good analytical methods for its in vivo evaluation is an essential prerequisite. Thus, here, a simple and efficient method to determine RRN in rat plasma using liquid-liquid extraction (LLE) and liquid chromatography and multiple reaction monitoring (LC-MRM) was presented. The use of ethyl acetate as the LLE solvent results appropriate extraction and purification of RRN and it also helps the significant reduction of rat plasma volume required for RRN quantitation. The developed method showed good analytical performance including specificity, linearity ($r^2{\geq}0.999$ within 0.5 - 500 ng/mL), sensitivity (the lower limit of quantitation at 0.5 ng/mL), accuracy (89.3 - 107.0%), precision (${\geq}12.7%$), and recovery (89.2 - 105.7%). Additionally, RRN in sample extracts showed good stability. Finally, the applicability of the validated method to the PK evaluation of RRN was confirmed after its oral administration to normal rats. The present method is the first analytical method employing LLE for the simple and efficient extraction and purification of RRN in rat plasma. Therefore, the present method can contribute to the development of new RRN formulations as well as to the monitoring of RRN in special clinical situations through its efficient determination in various samples with or without minor modification.