Determination of the Psychotropic Drug Thioridazine and its Metabolites in Blood by Means of High Pressure Liquid Chromatography in Combination with Fluorometric Reaction Detection

Abstract

A method for the determination of the psychotropic drug thioridazine and five of its metabolites in blood was elaborated. The phenothiazines are extracted from the blood plasma separated by high pressure liquid chromatography and detected on-line by fluorometric reaction detection. In order to find a suitable phase system for the chromatographic column, the selectivity of a number of liquid-solid systems consisting of silicas of different specific surface areas and solvent mixtures of 2,2,4-trimethylpentane, 2-aminopropane, acetonitrile and ethanol was investigated. For selective and sensitive detection, a fluorometric micro reaction detector was developed which proved to be suitable for modern column liquid chromatography.