Composition analysis of falsified chloroquine phosphate samples seized during the COVID-19 pandemic
Tchounga et al.,
Composition analysis of falsified chloroquine phosphate samples seized during the COVID-19 pandemic,
Journal of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Analysis, doi:10.1016/j.jpba.2020.113761 (meta analysis)
Analysis of fake CQ tablets finding:
- no CQ in six samples, substituted with metronidazole (at sub-therapeutic levels) or paracetamol.
- trace levels of paracetamol and chloramphenicol in four and two samples respectively.
- CQ levels too low in two samples.
Currently there are
36 HCQ early treatment studies and meta analysis shows:
Tchounga et al., 12 Nov 2020, peer-reviewed, 7 authors.
Abstract: Journal of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Analysis 194 (2021) 113761
Contents lists available at ScienceDirect
Journal of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Analysis
journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/jpba
Composition analysis of falsified chloroquine phosphate samples
seized during the COVID-19 pandemic
C.A. Waffo Tchounga a,b , P.Y. Sacre a,∗ , P. Ciza a,c , R. Ngono b,d , E. Ziemons a , Ph. Hubert a ,
R.D. Marini a
a
University of Liege (ULiege), CIRM, VibraSante Hub, Department of Pharmacy, Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Analytical Chemistry, Liege, Belgium
University of Yaoundé I, Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Cameroon
c
University of Kinshasa, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, LACOMEDA, Lemba, 212 Kinshasa XI, Democratic Republic of Congo
d
National Drug Control and Valuation (LANACOME), Yaoundé, Cameroon
b
a r t i c l e
i n f o
Article history:
Received 21 September 2020
Received in revised form 6 November 2020
Accepted 7 November 2020
Available online 12 November 2020
Keywords:
COVID-19
Substandard/falsified medicines
Chloroquine phosphate
Vibrational spectroscopy
Chromatography
a b s t r a c t
The proliferation of falsified medicines can cause serious public health issues, particularly in the context
of a global pandemic such as the actual COVID-19 pandemic. Our study involved eight chloroquine phosphate medicines seized in Cameroon, Democratic Republic of Congo and Niger during March and May
2020. These suspect samples were first analyzed in a screening phase using field tools such as handheld
Raman spectroscopy (TruScan) and then in a confirmation phase using laboratory tools such as hyperspectral Raman imaging and High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC). The results confirmed the
falsified nature of the samples, highlighting the presence of metronidazole at low dose in four samples
(16.6, 15.2, 15.2 and 14.5 mg/tab), too low levels of chloroquine in two samples (2.4 and 20.2 mg/tab),
and substitution of chloroquine phosphate by paracetamol in one sample (255.7 mg/tab). The results also
confirmed that four samples had been adulterated with paracetamol in trace amounts and two of them
presented traces of chloramphenicol.
© 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Please send us corrections, updates, or comments. Vaccines and
treatments are complementary. All practical, effective, and safe means should
be used based on risk/benefit analysis. No treatment, vaccine, or intervention
is 100% available and effective for all current and future variants. We do not
provide medical advice. Before taking any medication, consult a qualified
physician who can provide personalized advice and details of risks and
benefits based on your medical history and situation.
FLCCC and
WCH
provide treatment protocols.
Submit
