A simple, sensitive, specific assay technique for the detection and
semi-quantification of chloroquine, amodiaquine, quinine, primaquine,
sulfadoxine and pyrimethamine in formulations and in human urine by
using thin layer chromatography (TLC) was developed and tested in the
laboratory. The method involved developing test samples spotted on TLC
chromatogram by diethylamine-toluene-isopropanol (1:4:5 v/v/v) as the
eluting solvent. The solvent system diethylamine-toluene-isopropanol
(1:4:5 v/v/v) enabled the elution and detection of all the tested
antimalarial drugs in solution and those spiked in human urine.
Detection limits for chloroquine, amodiaquine, quinine and primaquine
were the lowest at 0.00025 mg/ml. Sulfadoxine exhibited a detection
limit of 0.0005 mg/ml whereas that of pyrimethamine was 0.001 mg/ml.
The results indicate the suitability of this technique in antimalarial
drug quality and bioavailability studies. It is envisaged that this
technique will adequately address the role of drug absorption and
excretion in the chemotherapy of malaria as well as to detect types of
antimalarial drugs commonly used in the community
