Qualitative and quantitative estimation of phenytoin in hair of epileptic patients by thin layer chromatography [TLC] and high performance liquid chromatpgraphy [HPLC]

The Two methods [TLC and HPLC] were applied to the head hair of epileptic patients who are orally treated with 100, 150, 200 and 300 mg of phenytoin daily. The detection of phenytoin in human hair revealed that, by TLC phenytoin was present in all hair samples. Zwikker's reagent and the dithiazone reagent were the best spraying reagents when the eluent was methanol to chloroform 1:9 by HLPC, phenytoin was present in hair samples at concentrations ranged from 4.3-9.5 ng/mg after administration of 100-300 mg/day of phenytoin respectively with a retention time 6.16 min when the mobile phase was Acetonitrile 70% to methanol 30%. The results show a linear correlation between the drug concentration in human hair and the daily dosage of phenytoin