DEXTROMETHORPHAN POISONING AND DEVELOPMENT OF METHODS FOR ITS ISOLATION OF FROM BIOLOGICAL OBJECTS

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.11603/2312-0967.2025.4.15710

Keywords:

dextromethorphan, poisoning, biological material, liver, urine, rapid test, extraction, organic solvent, degree of extraction

Abstract

The aim of the work. To investigate the efficiency of dextromethorphan extraction from biological material (liver)  using known methods in toxicological analysis (Vasylieva, Stas-Otto, Kramarenko) and to develop an effective method for its isolation from biological objects (liver and urine).

Materials and Methods. The substance of dextromethorphan hydrobromide (batch No. 6700-34-1, Fagron GmbH & Co. KG, Germany) was used for the analysis. Chloroform, diethyl ether, hexane, ammonium sulfate; 10% oxalic acid solution, 0.02 mol/L sulfuric acid solution, 1 mol/L hydrochloric acid solution, 25% ammonia solution, 10% sodium hydroxide solution were used as the reagents. An OPN-8 centrifuge was used for centrifugation. Spectrophotometric measurements were performed on a Lambda-25 spectrophotometer (PerkinElmer, USA).

Results and Discussion. It was found that the highest degree of dextromethorphan extraction (40 %) is achieved using the Kramarenko’s method, whereas only 16 % and 33 % of the substance were extracted using general isolation methods Vasylieva’s and Stas-Otto’s methods respectively. A method for dextromethorphan isolation from biological material was developed. 1 mol/L hydrochloric acid solution (pH=2-3) was used for the acidification. Hexane was used as an extragent for impurities from the acidic medium. Chloroform was used for the dextromethorphan extraction from alkaline aqueous medium. The pH of the medium (10-11) was adjusted by adding a 10% sodium hydroxide solution. The developed technique increased the degree of dextromethorphan extraction from biological material to 60%, and from urine to 89%.

Conclusions. Among commonly used methods, the Kramarenko’s method is the most effective method for dextromethorphan isolation. More efficient dextromethorphan isolation methods, in terms of extraction degree, have been developed, in which impurities are removed by extraction them with hexane from an acidic hydrochloric medium (pH 2–3), and after purification, dextromethorphan is extracted with chloroform from an alkaline medium (pH 10–11).

Author Biographies

M. M. Mykhalkiv, I. Horbachevsky Ternopil National Medical University

PhD (Biology), Associate Professor of the Pharmaceutical Chemistry Department

I. B. Ivanusa, I. Horbachevsky Ternopil National Medical University

PhD (Biology), Associate Professor of the Pharmaceutical Chemistry Department

M. I. Dmytriv, State Service on Medicines and Drugs Control in Ternopil region

Master of Pharmacy, chief specialist of the state control sector in the sphere of circulation of medicines, medical products and circulation of narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances and precursors

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Published

2025-12-30

How to Cite

Mykhalkiv, M. M., Ivanusa, I. B., & Dmytriv, M. I. (2025). DEXTROMETHORPHAN POISONING AND DEVELOPMENT OF METHODS FOR ITS ISOLATION OF FROM BIOLOGICAL OBJECTS. Pharmaceutical Review Farmacevtičnij časopis, 76(4), 31–39. https://doi.org/10.11603/2312-0967.2025.4.15710

Issue

Section

Analysis of drugs