Determination of quinacrine (mepacrine) in plasma by high-performance liquid chromatography with fluorimetric detection.
Quinacrine (mepacrine, Atebrine) is an antiparasitic acridine derivative that is currently used as an intrapleural sclerosing agent. It was determined in plasma by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography of a dichloroethane extract. The mobile phase was methanol-phosphate buffer (65:35) with 0.1 mM decylammonium hydrochloride and 8 mM ethanolammonium hydrochloride. Strong base was added post-column, and the detection of quinacrine was by fluorescence at 270/495 nm. Use of ethacridine lactate as internal standard was feasible but without significant advantage. The coefficient of variation for eight determinations of quinacrine was 4% at 3.4 ng/ml and 5% at 17 ng/ml. The stability of quinacrine in blood, plasma, water and dichloroethane solution was satisfactory for practical work. The usefulness of the analytical procedure for pharmacokinetic studies could be demonstrated.
Björkman
S
S
Hospital Pharmacy, Malmö General Hospital, Sweden.
Elisson
L O
LO
D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D004355:Drug Stability; D004975:Ethacridine / Q000032:analysis / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D008027:Light; D008297:Male; D011796:Quinacrine / Q000097:blood* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D013050:Spectrometry, Fluorescence
D011796:Quinacrine; D004975:Ethacridine