An improved method for the estimation of suramin in plasma and trypanosome samples

An improved method for the chemical estimation of suramin is described in which the aromatic amines released from the drug by acid hydrolysis are diazotised and then coupled to N-(1-naphthyl)-ethylenediamine to form a pink coloured product (EmM545nm267 /+- 5) Provided certain precautions are followed, the assay method is highly reproducible (+/- 2%) and sufficiently sensitive to measure 2.5 nmol; suramin in mixtures with plasma (0.5 ml) or trypanosomes (200 mg wet wt.).