Determination of tafenoquine in dried blood spots and plasma using LC and fluorescence detection.

Background: The growing problem of parasites developing resistance to the traditional antimalarial drugs makes the development of new effective and safe drugs crucial. Tafenoquine is a new promising antimalarial drug for prophylaxis and treatment.

Results: A bioanalytical method for the determination of tafenoquine in 100 µl of capillary blood applied onto sampling paper and in 100 µl of plasma has been developed and validated.

Assay for screening for six antimalarial drugs and one metabolite using dried blood spot sampling, sequential extraction and ion-trap detection.

Background: More parasites are becoming resistant to antimalarial drugs, and in many areas a change in first-line drug treatment is necessary. The aim of the developed assay is to help determine drug use in these areas and also to be a complement to interviewing patients, which will increase reliability of surveys.

Results: This assay detects quinine, mefloquine, sulfadoxine, pyrimethamine, lumefantrine, chloroquine and its metabolite desethylchloroquine in a 100-µl dried blood spot.