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.
Hospital Pharmacy, Malmö General Hospital, Sweden.
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Björkman
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Elisson
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