ANALYSIS ANTI-MALARIAL DRUG: COARTEM 20/120
Aaron Beck, Alexis Balgeman, John N. Gitua (Mentor)
Department of Chemistry, College of Arts and Sciences
Drake University
ABSTRACT
Anti-malarial medications such as chloroquine, artemisinin, doxycycline,
Metakelfin, Coartem 20/120 and other drugs are used to treat malarial
infections. In this experiment the antimalarial drug, Coartem 20/120 was
analyzed to identify the presence of the main active ingredients. The
extraction of such ingredients using the appropriate solvents gave a
mixture of two components: Artemether and Lumefantrin which were
further separated using the column chromatography. Characterization of
such compounds involved the use of melting point determinations as
well as infrared spectroscopic techniques.
BACKGROUND
Structure of Artemether
Lumefantrine
RESULTS
Lumefantrine
Mass (g)
0.089
0.537
Melting Point oC
87-90
128 - 130
IR cm-1
OBJECTIVE
Purpose of this project was:
a) To extract the chemical compounds from the Coartem 20/120 tablet
b) To characterize the isolated compounds using melting point and
spectroscopic techniques
Infected Red Blood Cells
Malaria disease is caused by the parasite, Plasmodium falciparum,
which is transmitted from the bite of an infected mosquito. It occurs
mostly in poor tropical and subtropical areas of the world. In areas with
high transmission, the most vulnerable groups are young children, and
pregnant women. The cost of malaria—to individuals, families,
communities, nations—are enormous. The parasite grows and multiplies
first in liver cells and then travels to the red blood cells. In the blood, the
parasite continues to multiply resulting with the destruction of the red
blood cells.
Treatment of malaria depends on many factors including disease
severity, the species of malaria parasite causing the infection and the
part of the world in which the infection was acquired. Treatment should
be initiated as soon as possible.
Most antimalarial drugs work by killing the parasite or preventing its
growth in the blood stage. The recommended dosage for these drugs
depends on the type of antimalarial drug, its strength, and the form in
which it is being used (such as tablet or injection). The dosage may also
be different for different people. No antimalarial drug is 100% protective
and must be combined with the use of other protective measures.
Artemether
3403, 3087,2948, 2865,
1713, 1632, 1583, 1483,
1076, 873
IR Spetrum for Lumefantrine
Dead Red Blood Cells
PROCEDURE
The powdered Coartem tablets in a 250mL Erlenmeyer flask was extracted
using ethyl acetate (3x10mL). All the yellow colored ethyl acetate extracts
were combined in a 250mL Erlenmeyer flask, dried using sodium sulfate
and then concentrated using rotatory evaporation to give a yellow solid.
The Coartem tablet powder was further extracted using methanol
(3x10mL). The combined methanol extracts were dried and concentrated
using rotary evaporation to give a white solid. Both solids, yellow and
white, were separately characterized using melting point and IR
techniques.
SUMMARY
The two chemical compounds, Artemether and Lumefantrine were successfully
isolated from the Coartem 20/120 antimalarial and characterized using melting point
and IR.
FUTURE WORK
Further study of Artemether and Lumefantrine will involve their characterization
using the NMR technique.
REFERENCES
1. http://www.cdc.gov/malaria/index.html
2. http://www.healthline.com/galecontent/antimalarial-drugs
3. http://www.drugs.com/pro/coartem.html