A quantitative bioanalytical method for pharmacokinetic studies using diluted whole blood from serially bled mice was developed. Oral exposure profiles in mice for five model anticancer compounds dacarbazine, gefitinib, gemcitabine, imatinib, and topotecan were determined following discrete and cassette (five-in-one) dosing. Six micro blood samples per animal were collected and added to a fixed amount of water. This dilution served several purposes: the red blood cells were lysed; an anticoagulant was unnecessary and the fluid volume of diluted sample was sufficient for bioanalytical assays. AUC values obtained from blood concentrations were within twofold for discrete and cassette dosing except for imatinib (2.1-fold difference) and in agreement with those obtained from plasma concentrations after discrete dosing. All compounds were stable in plasma and diluted blood samples for at least 2 weeks at approximately -80°C. Matrix and intermatrix effects were evaluated to ensure robustness and integrity of the bioanalytical assays. This method provides significant process improvement by enhancing efficiency for sample collection and processing and reducing resources (e.g., reduced compound, cost, and animal requirement) compared with conventional methods. Our study demonstrates the applicability of using diluted micro blood samples for small molecule quantitative bioanalysis to support mouse studies in drug discovery.
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