Simultaneous and sensitive measurement of anabasine, nicotine, and nicotine metabolites in human urine by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry

pharmacokinetics provides a useful tool for estimating uptake of nicotine and tobacco-related toxicants, for understanding the pharmacologic effects of nicotine and nicotine addiction, and for optimizing nicotine dependency treatment. Methods:We developed a sensitive method for analysis of nicotine and five major nicotine metabolites, includ-ing cotinine, trans-3-hydroxycotinine, nicotine-N-ox-ide, cotinine-N-oxide, and nornicotine, in human urine by liquid chromatography coupled with a TSQ Quan-tum triple quadrupole tandem mass spectrometer (LC/ MS/MS). Urine samples to which deuterium-labeled internal standards had been added were extracted with a simple solid-phase extraction procedure. Anabasine, a minor tobacco alkaloid, was also included