Rapid analysis of some drugs of abuse in human blood by using EMIT and TLC techniques

ABSTRACT

A recent method for direct and rapid extraction of some drugs of abuse inwhole human blood was evaluated. Methanolic extraction of 2ml blood with 4mlmethanol yielded 0.3-3.5 ml clear extract after vigorous vortexing for 30seconds followed by centrifugation at 3000 rpm for 3 minutes. Analysis ofblood samples were done by using 2 techniques; Enzyme Multiplied Immunoassay[EMIT] and Thin Layer Chromatography [TLC] for the presence of morphine,amphetamine, phenobarbitone and methaqualone. The time taken from the startof the extraction procedure up to the point, at which the EMIT-apparatus wasinjected with the extract or TLC plates were spotted, was 10 minutes, i.e. rapid extraction. Values of detection of the four assayed drugs in the methanolic extract proved that this method of extraction is very sensitive and gives a potent, i.e. it can be used to detect drugs concentration ranges [subtherapeutic to therapeutic] for all assays