Detecting counterfeit antimalarial tablets by near-infrared spectroscopy
Floyd E Dowell1, Elizabeth B Maghirang, Facundo M Fernandez
1USDA ARS, Grain Marketing and Production Research Center, Engineering Research Unit, 1515 College Avenue, Manhattan, KS 66502, United States. floyd.dowell@ars.usda.gov
Journal of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Analysis
|August 16, 2008
Summary
Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) effectively distinguishes genuine from counterfeit artesunate antimalarial tablets. This rapid, field-portable technology offers a promising solution for detecting fake medicines, enhancing pharmaceutical forensics.
Area of Science:
- Pharmaceutical analysis
- Forensic science
- Spectroscopy
Background:
- Counterfeit antimalarial drugs pose a significant threat in developing nations.
- Sophisticated counterfeiting makes distinguishing fake from genuine drugs challenging.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (NIRS) for differentiating counterfeit from genuine artesunate antimalarial tablets.
- To assess the accuracy and potential field applicability of NIRS in pharmaceutical forensics.
Main Methods:
- Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) was employed to analyze artesunate tablets.
- Multivariate classification models were developed to discriminate between genuine and counterfeit samples.
- Spectral signatures associated with artesunate were investigated as discriminatory markers.
Main Results:
- NIRS achieved high accuracy in identifying genuine and counterfeit artesunate tablets.
- Classification models identified spectral differences, partly due to the presence or absence of artesunate.
- The technique demonstrated potential for rapid and accurate fake drug detection.
Conclusions:
- NIRS is a powerful tool for pharmaceutical forensics, specifically for detecting counterfeit antimalarials.
- The method is field-portable and requires minimal training post-calibration.
- NIRS shows significant promise for real-time, accurate counterfeit drug identification.
