Quantification of Duloxetine in the Bacterial Culture and Medium to Study Drug-gut Microbiome Interactions

Abstract

Expanding our understanding of drug-gut bacteria interactions requires high-throughput drug measurements in complex bacterial cultures. Quantification of drugs in the cultures, media, and cell pellets is prone to strong matrix effects. We have developed a liquid chromatography–high resolution mass spectrometry (LC–HRMS) method for quantifying duloxetine from high-throughput gut-drug interaction experiments. The method is partially validated for its reproducibility, sensitivity, and accuracy, which makes it suitable for largescale drug screens. We extensively used this method to study biotransformation and bioaccumulation of duloxetine and other drugs in several species of gut bacteria.