Optimization and validation of an analytical method for the estimation of methotrexate in rabbit plasma

Methotrexate (MTX) is an anticancer drug used for the treatment of various cancers and autoimmune diseases. In this study, High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) method was developed and validated for the estimation of MTX in rabbit plasma with high estimation rate and recovery. Various validation parameters like, sensitivity, sample recovery, accuracy and precision analysis were studied. The pre-saturated reversed C18 end capped HPLC column was used to separate MTX present in rabbit plasma. A solvent mixture of 100mM phosphate buffer pH 7.4 and acetonitrile (92:8 percent v/v) was employed as the mobile phase. Analysis was carried out at lambda max 303 nm and retention time of MTX was found 5.32 min. During the method development and validation ICHQ2 (R1) guidelines were strictly followed. Developed method was found excellent in terns of recovery of MTX from plasma samples (98.6%). It is obvious from the current study that the developed HPLC method can be utilized to analyze the level of MTX in patients. Furthermore, the cost of the developed method for the determination of MTX would be very low as compared to the previously reported methods.