RAPID MEASUREMENT OF BASIC DRUGS IN BLOOD APPLIED TO CLINICAL AND FORENSIC TOXICOLOGY

A gas chromatographic method is presented to measure blood, serum or plasma concentrations of more than 40 basic drugs. The sensitivity is 0·05 mg/L or less, which represents medium-high therapeutic and overdose concentrations, and in many instances the major active metabolites are also quantified. The paper describes a single step extraction from basic solution into n-butyl acetate containing maprotiline internal standard. Disposable glass tubes are used, with direct chromatography of the upper organic layer. GLC analysis is conducted for 10 min isothermally on a packed column (3% SP2250) with nitrogen-phosphorus detection. The coefficient of variation (CV) of the assay is between 2% and 5%, and data on the reproducibility of retention times are presented. © 1990, Association for Clinical Biochemistry. All rights reserved.