Maxwell Kim Kit Lee and Liuqing Di
The microdialysis technique is an invasive, expensive and a new real-time continuous in vivo sampling technique. The microdialysis technique with high sensitivity, good selectivity of modern analytical techniques combined with truly online real-time in vivo determination of the endogenous substances and drugs, which can effectively shorten the sampling time and increase the sample stability, can save time and cost savings and improve time resolution to accurately observe the rapid changes that are a major breakthrough in vivo drug analysis. When considering the need for on-line coupled with analysis of microdialysis, the probe recovery, perfusion rate, relative molecular weight analytes, such as the impact on the recovery of the probe, as well as analysis requires sample volume, analytes concentration range, the methods of the sample and related factors limit of quantification, analysis speed and others. In the recent years, the microdialysis technique is applied in all the fields such as the brain, blood, skin and others. But however, this technology itself also has some limitations such as the determination of oil-water partition coefficient greater drug determination, low levels content of drugs determination, the probes implanted reproducibility and other problems. In this review, we would like to focus on the microdialysis technique principles, its advantages and limitations, the each type of the microdialysis probes, the microdialysis technique quantitative factors, the application on the brain, blood, eye, pharmacokinetic, distribution study and others, and the microdialysis technique on-line coupled to the modern analysis technology.