Acta Pharm. 48 (1998) 217-220

Short communication  
 

Thin layer chromatographic detection of some common drugs
by pi-acceptor complexation

JOHNSON OGODA ONAH

1Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Jos, P.M.B. 2084, Jos, Nigeria
Received January 22, 1999      Accepted June 18, 1999

Eleven commonly prescribed drugs with chemical structures indicating the presence of pi-electrons that could interact with pi-acceptors like chloranil were investigated. The drugs studied and the corresponding colours developed are shown in parentheses and are as follows: pyrazinamide (purple), rifampicin (purple), methoclopramide (beige), chloroquine (green), chlorpheniramine (blue), trimethoprim (pink), sulphamethoxazole (pink), pyrimethamine (green), paracetamol (purple), sulphadoxine (yellow) and ampicillin (yellow). The stability of these colours varies from five minutes for pyrazinamide to sixty minutes for chlorpheniramine. Counter-spraying with N,N- dimethylformamide did not significantly alter the colours stability. This study reveals that pi-donor/pi-acceptor complexation can be a sensitive and rapid method for detection of certain drugs.


Keywords: pi-donor/pi-acceptor complexation, drug detection, chloranil, thin-layer chromatography