This study demonstrated the analysis of midazolam and its metabolites by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) with a sonic spray ionization (SSI) interface. The analytical column was a YMC-Pak Pro C18 (50 mm x 2.0 mm i.d.) using 10 mM ammonium acetate (pH 4.8)-methanol (1:1) at a flow rate of 0.2 ml min(-1). The drift voltage was 100 V. The sampling aperture was heated at 110 degrees C and the shield temperature was 230 degrees C. The lower limits for the detection of midazolam and 1'-hydroxymidazolam were 26.3 and 112.76 pg injected, respectively. The calibration curves for midazolam and 1'-hydroxymidazolam were linear in the range of 0.1-5 microg ml(-1). Within-day relative standard deviations was less than 7%. The method was applied to the determination of midazolam in monkey plasma, and the analysis of midazolam and its metabolites in an in vitro study with recombinant cytochrome P450 (CYP) 3A4. This method is sufficiently sensitive and useful to elucidate the kinetics of midazolam metabolite formation. We also investigated the effect of propofol on the metabolism of midazolam using recombinant CYP3A4. Propofol competitively inhibited the metabolism of midazolam to 1'-hydroxymidazolam by CYP3A4.