Screening of morphine & codeine in urine of opioid abusers by rapid and TLC analysis

Abstract

Aim: one hundred urine samples of abusers were examined for the presence of alkaloid substances in urine. Alkaloids of urine were confirmed with rapid and TLC methods. A thin-layer chromatography (TLC) procedure for the screening and confirmation of urinary codeine and morphine has been developed. Method: Urine samples were daily collected from abusers of Tabriz/Iran. Urine extracts were prepared using silica-gel absorbent resin in column. The resin was rinsed with two buffers. These procedures make PH appropriation, then residual water was removed by vacuum aspiration and adsorbed alkaloid substances were eluted with a organic solvent of methanol and concentrated. After evaporation to dryness with heater, the residue was dissolved in organic solvent of methanol to reach 10 to 40 fold concentration. For screening, the extraction residues were spotted on TLC plates which are developed in chloroform: methanol: Ammoniac (12:1.4:0.2). For confirmation the spots for the two opioids were visualized with acidified iodoplatinate. Codeine and morphine standards are well separated from one another and comparison with samples urinary substances on plates. The limit of detection was a concentration of 300ng/mL. Result: The result of this study has shown that 100 percent of urine samples from addicted in Tabriz (Iran) were contained alkaloid substances and 25 percent of these samples have shown drug interaction. Conclusion: This study describes importance of urine drug testing such as TLC analysis in comparison of other rapid tests.