Fluorimetric liquid chromatographic analysis of amantadine in urine and pharmaceutical formulation

A simple and sensitive liquid chromatographic method is described for the analysis of amantadine and memantine. The method is based on the derivatization of amantadine and memantine extracted from alkalified samples with (2-naphthoxy)acetyl chloride at mild conditions. The resulting derivatives were analyzed by isocratic HPLC with a fluorimetric detector (lambdaex, 227 nm; lambdaem, 348 nm). The linear range for the determination of amantadine or memantine spiked in urine (1.0 ml) was 1.0-10.0 nmol with a detection limit of about 0.2 nmol (S/N = 3; injected sample 20 microl). Only amantadine preparations are available on our local market, and application of the method to the analysis of amantadine in formulation and in the urine of a dosed subject was demonstrated and proved feasible. Quantitation of AT in tablets or capsules is capable in the linear range of 2.0-50.0 microM. Toluene was used as the solvent for extracting amantadine or memantine in samples and the resulting toluene extract was directly subjected to subsequent derivatization without solvent replacement leading to a simpler analytical procedure.