New method for rapid detection and simultaneous determination of prohibited adrenergic drugs in sports using thin layer chromatography and image processing

Abstract

This study presents a new method for simultaneous determination of fenoterol, procaterol, clenbuterol, terbutaline and isoprenaline drugs using thin-layer chromatography assisted by image analysis (HPTLC-IA) combined with sensitive detection modes. Separation of the selected drugs was obtained using HPTLC Silica gel 60 F₂₅₄ plates and mixture of isopropyl alcohol, ethyl acetate and ammonia (20:25:1.5 v/v/v) as mobile phase. UV detection mode combined with the use of 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH^•) and 2,2'-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline)-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS^+•) radicals were applied for the first time for sensible detection of the separated drugs. Grey, green, red and blue scales respectively were selected for image analysis and accurate quantification of spot area. According to the obtained result, the use of DPPH^• and ABTS^+• reagents revealed a higher sensitivity in detection and accurate quantification of the analyzed drugs. Lower limit of detection (LOD = 0.07 ± 0.03 µg/spot; 0.09 ± 0.03 µg/spot and 0.10 ± 0.04 µg/spot) was obtained for fenoterol, procaterol and terbutaline using the ABTS^+• radical and red scale selection for image processing. With the exception of isoprenaline, the proposed HPTLC-IA method showed a good separation of fenoterol, procaterol, clenbuterol and terbutaline drugs from other compounds in urine samples. Good recovery was obtained for these drugs in spiked urine samples.

Graphical Abstract

Keywords:

• ABTS and DPPH detection
• adrenergic drugs
• image analysis
• thin-layer chromatography
• UV detection

Disclosure statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by a grant of the Ministry of Research, Innovation and Digitization, CNCS-UEFISCDI, project number PN-IIIP1-1.1-TE-2021-0655, within PNCDI III.