The extent to which the procainamide-dextrose complex reverts to free procainamide hydrochloride in plasma was studied in vitro. The procainamide-dextrose species was formed, isolated using preparative liquid chromatography, and then added to six different lots of pooled plasma that were maintained at physiological temperature (37 +/- 0.1 degrees C). At zero, four, and eight hours after preparation of the samples, 1-mL portions were removed from each sample, extracted, and assayed for procainamide hydrochloride using high-performance liquid chromatography. The mean procainamide hydrochloride concentrations at zero, four, and eight hours after preparation were 2.67, 4.81, and 1.38 g/mL, respectively. Each lot of pooled plasma was statistically analyzed to determine if a significant amount of procainamide hydrochloride reappeared. Analysis of variance showed significant difference between the concentrations of free procainamide hydrochloride in the samples at zero, four, and eight hours (p less than 0.02). Follow-up with Duncan's multiple comparisons test determined that the mean procainamide hydrochloride concentrations immediately after preparation were not significantly different from those at eight hours, but the mean procainamide hydrochloride concentrations at four hours were significantly different from those at eight hours (p less than 0.01). A paired Student's t test comparing the data from zero and eight hours showed a significant reduction in mean procainamide hydrochloride concentrations with time (p less than 0.05). The procainamide-dextrose complex in vitro does not revert to free procainamide hydrochloride in plasma at physiological temperature during the first eight hours.

 

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