IMPROVED COLUMN-SWITCHING LIQUID-CHROMATOGRAPHIC METHOD FOR THE DETERMINATION OF THE ENANTIOMERS OF MEFLOQUINE

A liquid chromatographic method for the determination of the enantiome rs of mefloquine has been improved. The chromatography involved two co lumns: an achiral cyanopropyl stationary phase for the quantification of (+/-)-mefloquine and a chiral naphthylurea stationary phase for the determination of the enantiomeric ratio. Compared with the previous m ethod, which needed two detectors, this one used one detector-integrat or to which the two columns are connected alternately by an automated column-switching system. The method is suitable for the quantification (0.05 mug/ml) of mefloquine and the determination of enantiomeric rat ios from 500-mul plasma samples with ultraviolet detection.