Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Counterfeit drugs: analytical techniques for their identification

  • Review
  • Published:
Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

In recent years, the number of counterfeit drugs has increased dramatically, including not only “lifestyle” products but also vital medicines. Besides the threat to public health, the financial and reputational damage to pharmaceutical companies is substantial. The lack of robust information on the prevalence of fake drugs is an obstacle in the fight against drug counterfeiting. It is generally accepted that approximately 10% of drugs worldwide could be counterfeit, but it is also well known that this number covers very different situations depending on the country, the places where the drugs are purchased, and the definition of what constitutes a counterfeit drug. The chemical analysis of drugs suspected to be fake is a crucial step as counterfeiters are becoming increasingly sophisticated, rendering visual inspection insufficient to distinguish the genuine products from the counterfeit ones. This article critically reviews the recent analytical methods employed to control the quality of drug formulations, using as an example artemisinin derivatives, medicines particularly targeted by counterfeiters. Indeed, a broad panel of techniques have been reported for their analysis, ranging from simple and cheap in-field ones (colorimetry and thin-layer chromatography) to more advanced laboratory methods (mass spectrometry, nuclear magnetic resonance, and vibrational spectroscopies) through chromatographic methods, which remain the most widely used. The conclusion section of the article highlights the questions to be posed before selecting the most appropriate analytical approach.

DOSY spectrum of a counterfeit artesunate tablet containing paracetamol instead of artesunate

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Europharm Forum (2009) Framework for a guide on counterfeit medicines for pharmacists. http://www.europharm.org/file/11800. Accessed 6 Feb 2010

  2. World Health Organization (1999) WHO counterfeit drugs. Guidelines for the development of measures to combat counterfeit drugs, vol 99.1. World Health Organization, Geneva. http://www.who.int/medicines/publications/counterfeitguidelines/en/. Accessed 6 Feb 2010

  3. Newton PN, Lee SJ, Goodman C, Fernandez FM, Yeung S, Phanouvong S, Kaur H, Amin AA, Whitty CJM, Kokwaro GO, Lindegardh N, Lukulay P, White LJ, Day NPJ, Green MD, White NJ (2009) PLoS Med 6:e1000052

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. World Health Organization (2008) WHO world malaria report-2008. http://www.who.int/malaria/wmr2008. Accessed 6 Feb 2010

  5. Newton PN, Green MD, Fernandez FM, Day NPJ, White NJ (2006) Lancet Infect Dis 6:602–613

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. World Health Organization (2006) Guidelines for the treatment of malaria. http://www.who.int/malaria/docs/TreatmentGuidelines2006.pdf. Accessed 6 Feb 2010

  7. Thomas CG, Ward SA, Edwards G (1992) J Chromatogr 583:131–136

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Green MD, Mount DL, Wirtz RA, White NJ (2000) J Pharm Biomed Anal 24:65–70

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Green MD, Mount DL, Wirtz RA (2001) Trop Med Int Health 6:980–982

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Ioset JR, Kaur H (2009) PLoS One 4:e7270

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Green MD, Nettey H, Rojas OV, Pamanivong C, Khounsaknalath L, Ortiz MG, Newton PN, Fernandez FM, Vongsack L, Manolin O (2007) J Pharm Biomed Anal 43:105–110

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Atemnkeng MA, De Cock K, Plaizier-Vercammen J (2007) Trop Med Int Health 12:68–74

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Atemnkeng MA, Marchand E, Plaizier-Vercammen J (2007) J Pharm Biomed Anal 43:727–732

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Cesar IDC, Nogueira FHA, Pianetti GA (2008) J Pharm Biomed Anal 48:951–954

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Gaudin K, Kauss T, Lagueny AM, Millet P, Fawaz F, Dubost JP (2009) J Sep Sci 32:231–237

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Hall KA, Newton PN, Green MD, de Veij M, Vandenabeele P, Pizzanelli D, Mayxay M, Dondorp A, Fernandez FM (2006) Am J Trop Med Hyg 75:804–811

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Lindegardh N, Dondorp AM, Singhasivanon P, White NJ, Day NPJ (2007) J Pharm Biomed Anal 45:149–153

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Fernandez FM, Cody RB, Green MD, Hampton CY, McGready R, Sengaloundeth S, White NJ, Newton PN (2006) Chemmedchem 1:702–705

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Nyadong L, Green MD, De Jesus VR, Newton PN, Fernandez FM (2007) Anal Chem 79:2150–2157

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Nyadong L, Harris GA, Balayssac S, Galhena AS, Malet-Martino M, Martino R, Parry RM, Wang MD, Fernandez FM, Gilard V (2009) Anal Chem 81:4803–4812

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Nyadong L, Late S, Green MD, Banga A, Fernandez FM (2008) J Am Soc Mass Spectrom 19:380–388

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Ricci C, Nyadong L, Fernandez FM, Newton PN, Kazarian SG (2007) Anal Bioanal Chem 387:551–559

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Ricci C, Nyadong L, Yang F, Fernandez FM, Brown CD, Newton PN, Kazarian SG (2008) Anal Chim Acta 623:178–186

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Newton PN, Fernandez FM, Plançon A, Mildenhall DC, Green MD, Ziyong L, Christophel EM, Phanouvong S, Howells S, McIntosh E, Laurin P, Blum N, Hampton CY, Faure K, Nyadong L, Soong CWR, Santoso B, Zhiguang W, Newton J, Palmer K (2008) PLoS Med 5:e32

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. Ricci C, Eliasson C, Macleod NA, Newton PN, Matousek P, Kazarian SG (2007) Anal Bioanal Chem 389:1525–1532

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Dowell FE, Maghirang EB, Fernandez FM, Newton PN, Green MD (2008) J Pharm Biomed Anal 48:1011–1014

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. de Veij M, Vandenabeele P, Hall KA, Fernandez FM, Green MD, White NJ, Dondorp AM, Newton PN, Moens L (2007) J Raman Spectrosc 38:181–187

    Article  Google Scholar 

  28. Marchand E, Atemnkeng MA, Vanermen S, Plaizier-Vercammen J (2008) Biomed Chromatogr 22:454–459

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. Gabriels M, Plaizier-Vercammen J (2004) J Chromatogr Sci 42:341–347

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  30. Agarwal SP, Ali A, Ahuja S (2007) Indian J Pharm Sci 69:841–844

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  31. Tayade NG, Nagarsenker MS (2007) J Pharm Biomed Anal 43:839–844

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  32. Jahnke RWO (2004) Pharm Ind 66:1187–1193

    Google Scholar 

  33. Basco LK (2004) Am J Trop Med Hyg 70:245–250

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  34. Global Pharma Health Fund (2010) The GPHF-Minilab® - protection against counterfeit medicines. http://www.gphf.org/web/en/minilab. Accessed 7 Feb 2010

  35. Ma C, Wang H, Lu X, Xu G, Liu B (2008) J Chromatogr A 1186:412–419

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  36. Peng CA, Ferreira JFS, Wood AJ (2006) J Chromatogr A 1133:254–258

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  37. Liu S, Tian N, Liu Z, Huang J, Li J, Ferreira JFS (2008) J Chromatogr A 1190:302–306

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  38. Liu S, Tian N, Li J, Huang J, Liu Z (2009) Biomed Chromatogr 23:1101–1107

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  39. Theoharides AD, Smyth MH, Ashmore RW, Halverson JM, Zhou ZM, Ridder WE, Lin AJ (1988) Anal Chem 60:115–120

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  40. Mohamed SS, Khalid SA, Ward SA, Wan TSM, Tang HPO, Zheng M, Haynes RK, Edwards G (1999) J Chromatogr B 731:251–260

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  41. Russo R, Guillarme D, Rudaz S, Bicchi C, Veuthey JL (2008) J Sep Sci 31:2377–2387

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  42. Ferreira JFS, Gonzalez JM (2009) Phytochem Anal 20:91–97

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  43. Souppart C, Gauducheau N, Sandrenan N, Richard F (2002) J Chromatogr B 774:195–203

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  44. Naik H, Murry DJ, Kirsch LE, Fleckenstein L (2005) J Chromatogr B 816:233–242

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  45. Sabarinath S, Singh RP, Gupta RC (2006) J Chromatogr B 842:36–42

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  46. Van Quekelberghe SAA, Soomro SA, Cordonnier JA, Jansen FH (2008) J Anal Toxicol 32:133–139

    Google Scholar 

  47. Anderson CA, Drennen JK, Ciurczak EW (2007) In: Burns DA, Ciurzak EW (eds) Handbook of near-infrared analysis. CRC, Boca Raton, pp 585–612

    Google Scholar 

  48. Eliasson C, Matousek P (2007) Anal Chem 79:1696–1701

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  49. Antalek B (2002) Concepts Magn Res 14:225–258

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  50. Trefi S, Gilard V, Balayssac S, Malet-Martino M, Martino R (2008) J Pharm Biomed Anal 46:707–722

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  51. Trefi S, Routaboul C, Hamieh S, Gilard V, Malet-Martino M, Martino R (2008) J Pharm Biomed Anal 47:103–113

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  52. Trefi S, Gilard V, Balayssac S, Malet-Martino M, Martino R (2009) Magn Reson Chem 47:S163–S173

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  53. Maurin JK, Plucinski F, Mazurek AP, Fijalek Z (2007) J Pharm Biomed Anal 43:1514–1518

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Groupe de RMN Biomédicale, Laboratoire de Synthèse et Physico-Chimie de Molécules d’Intérêt Biologique (SPCMIB), Université de Toulouse, UPS, 118 route de Narbonne, 31062, Toulouse Cedex 9, France

    R. Martino, M. Malet-Martino, V. Gilard & S. Balayssac

Authors
  1. R. Martino
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. M. Malet-Martino
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. V. Gilard
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. S. Balayssac
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to M. Malet-Martino.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Martino, R., Malet-Martino, M., Gilard, V. et al. Counterfeit drugs: analytical techniques for their identification. Anal Bioanal Chem 398, 77–92 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00216-010-3748-y

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00216-010-3748-y

Keywords

Search

Navigation