Evaluation of fluorometric determination-thin layer chromatographic identification of aminacrine hydrochloride in...

Utilizing the fluorescent property of aminacrine hydrochloride and a filter fluorometer, a fluorometric method for aminacrine hydrochloride in drug combinations was developed, collaboratively studied, and adopted as official first action in the 11th edition of Official Methods of Analysis. Identity was confirmed by thin layer chromatography (TLC). Additional analytical work was undertaken with a grating fluorometer to support a change in the method status to official final action. The grating instrument recorded the aminacrine hydrochloride spectrum as opposed to the total fluorescence emission measured by the filter instrument. The spectrum of aminacrine hydrochloride showed that the molecule was exhibiting self-absorption of the emitted radiation even at concentrations of 10(-6)M and that the ratio of the 2 peaks in the emission spectrum varied with concentration. Additional analyses of an authentic cream preparation that also contained sulfanilamide gave an average recovery of 86.0% for aminacrine hydrochloride in 10 replicate portions. Because of these observations, the current Associate Referee's recommendation to delete the fluorometric procedure from the 13th edition of Official Methods of Analysis was adopted. A recommended deletion of the TLC identification test was also adopted.