CHEMICAL ANALYSIS OF URINE

Clinical bearing (reasons for performing chemical analysis of urine)

1. In case of drug poisoning, to know he nature of poison/drug

2. To know whether the patient has actually taken the drug or not
3. To know whether the renal functions are normal
4. To study the pharmacokinetics of a drug
5. To diagnose certain diseases (VMA, ketone bodies, etc)
6. To obtain drugs in case of scarcity (penicillins, hCG – rare now a days)

TYPES OF CHEMICAL ANALYSIS OF URINE

Qualitative test

• A test that determines presence or absence of a substance

Quantitative test

• A test that determines the amount of substance per unit volume or

unit weight

IDENTIFICATION OF DRUGS BY CHEMICAL METHOD

1. TESTS FOR ALKALOIDS

1. Mayers test (Mercuric chloride and potassium iodide
solution)
2. Picric acid test (Hagers reagent):
3. Tannic acid test
2. TEST FOR SALICYLATES
1. Ferric chloride test
3. TESTS FOR IODIDES
1. Saturated starch solution:
4. TESTS FOR GLYCOSIDES
1. Benedicts test

Department of Pharmacology, SVS Medical College, Mahabubnagar

 CHEMICAL ANALYSIS OF URINE

TABLE: CHEMICAL TESTS FOR VARIOUS COMPOUNDS

PROCEDURE OBSERVATION INFERENCE

TESTS FOR ALKALOIDS
Mayers test:
To 5ml of test sample add one
drop of mayers reagent
Picric acid test (hagers reagent)
To 5 ml of test sample add a
drop of hagers reagent
Tannic acid test:
To 5 ml of test sample add a
1ml of tannic acid
White to cream color
precipitate is seen
Yellow color precipitate
is seen
Brownish white
precipitate is seen
It indicates presence of
alkaloids
It indicates presence of
Alkaloids
It indicates presence of
Alkaloids

TEST FOR SALICYLATES

Ferric chloride test : Violet color is seen It indicates presence of
To 5ml of test sample add few salicylates
drops of ferric chloride reagent

TESTS FOR IODIDES

Saturated starch solution: Violet blue color ring is It indicates presence of
Take 5 ml of test sample and seen iodides
add 1-2 drops of hydrochloric
acid or nitric acid and then add
a few drops of saturated starch
solution

TESTS FOR GLYCOSIDES

Benedicts test: Green, yellow or orange It indicates presence of
Take 5 ml of test sample and add color change depending glycosides
1-2 drops of conc. nitric acid boil upon the amount of free
and then cool the solution. sugar present in sample
In other test tube add 5ml of
benedict’s reagent boil and then
cool the solution.
Now the urine and benedicts
solution are mixed and heated
again

Department of Pharmacology, SVS Medical College, Mahabubnagar

 CHEMICAL ANALYSIS OF URINE

ALKALOIDS

1. What are ALKALOIDS?

 These are naturally occurring nitrogenous heterocyclic
substances which are isolated from plants and reacts like bases.
 Alkaloids are basic - Most alkaloids are well-defined crystalline
substances which unite with acids to form salts which are water
soluble.
2. What is the composition of Mayer’s Reagent?
 Mayer’s reagent is freshly prepared by dissolving a mixture of
mercuric chloride (1.36 g) and of potassium iodide (5.00 g) in
water (100.0 ml).
3. Give some examples Alkaloids, write their sources and uses?

Sl No Alkaloids Sources Uses

1 Pilocarpine Pilocarpus microphyllus / Glaucoma
jaborandi
2 Physostigmine Physostigma venenosum Atropine poisoning
3 Atropine, Atropa belldaona, Datura OP poisoning,
Hyoscine Mydriatic, Motion
sickness
4 Reserpine Rowulfia serpentina Antihypertensive
5 Ephedrine Ephedra vulgaris Spinal shock
6 Ergot alkaloids Claviceps purpurea Migraine, PPH
(Ergotamine,
Ergometrine)
7 Morphine Pappaverum somniferum Analgesic
8 Caffeine Cocoa beans CNS stimulant
9 Quinine Cinchona bark Malaria
10 Vinca alkaloids Vinca rosea Cancer chemotherapy

Department of Pharmacology, SVS Medical College, Mahabubnagar

 CHEMICAL ANALYSIS OF URINE

SALICYLATES

1. What is the principle of ferric chloride test?

2. Name some Salicylates with its actions/uses?

Sl No Salicylates Actions / uses

1 Sodium salicylate Analgesic
2 Methyl salicylate (Oil of wintergreen) Counter irritant
3 Acetyl salicylic acid (Aspirin) Anti-inflammatory, Analgesic,
antipyretic and anti-platelet
4 Salicylamide Analgesic (Not used now)
5 Benorylate Anti-inflammatory, antipyretic
6 5-ASA Inflammatory bowel disease

3. What is the treatment of Salicylate Poisoning?

 Conservative management,

 Forced Alkaline Diuresis

4. What are the different actions / uses of aspirin according to dose?

 Antiplatelet (MI, stroke etc) – 75-325 mg,

 Analgesic dose / Anti-pyretic dose (Fever, pain) – 300-600 mg,

 Anti-inflammatory dose (Acute rheumatic fever) – 3-5 g/day in

divided dose

Department of Pharmacology, SVS Medical College, Mahabubnagar

 CHEMICAL ANALYSIS OF URINE

IODIDES
1. What is the principle of iodide test using starch?
 When the sample is treated with starch in acidic medium, the
iodine present in the sample complexes with starch, producing
starch-iodide complex which is intense blue/purple in colour.
2. What are different Preparations of Iodine and their uses?

Sl No. PREPARATION USES

1 Potassium iodide Expectorant
2 Lugols iodine Preoperatively to reduce bleeding in
(5% iodine and 10% thyroidectomy
potassium iodide )
3 Mandle paint (Pigment) Tonsillitis, Pharyngitis
4 Tincture iodine Antiseptic & disinfectant
5 Iodine / Povidine iodine Antiseptic
ointment
7 Iodoform Disinfectant
8 Iodised salt Prophylaxis of endemic goitre
9 Radioactive iodine 131I Hyperthyroidism (Diagnostic /
Therapeutic)
10 Iodine contrast agents Imaging

3. Name some iodine containing drugs.

 Amiodarone (Anti-arrhythmic), Iodoquinol (Anti-amoebic),
Idoxuridine (Antiviral), Thyroxine (Thyroid hormone), Potassium
iodide (Expectorant)
4. Acute iodide poisoning and its management.
 Symptoms: Vomiting, Salivation, Metallic taste, burning in mouth
and stomach, Abdominal pain, Diarrhoea, Shortness of breath,
Coughing, Delirium, Stupor, sometimes Gum and tooth soreness,
Loss of appetite, , No urine output, Rash, Seizures, Shock.
 Management: Gastric lavage with 5% sodium thiosulfate,
Respiratory support and symptomatic management
5. Chronic iodide poisoning (Iodism) & outline its management.
 Symptoms: Coryza, excessive salivation, frontal headache,
emaciation, weakness, and skin eruptions.
 Management: Prevent him from further exposure, symptomatic
and conservative management.

Department of Pharmacology, SVS Medical College, Mahabubnagar

 CHEMICAL ANALYSIS OF URINE

GLYCOSIDES
1. What Are Glycosides?
 These are plant products, consist of an
aglycone (genin) to which are attached
one or more sugar (glucose or digitoxose) moieties.
 Aglycone = pharmacological activity
 sugar portion = pharmacokinetic

2. What is the Principle of Benedict’s Test

 Benedict’s solution contains copper sulphate, sodium
carbonate and sodium citrate.
 When reducing sugars (Glycosides) are heated in the presence of
an alkali they get converted to powerful reducing species known
as enediols. Enediols reduce the cupric compounds (Cu 2+)
present in the Benedict's reagent to cuprous compounds (Cu +)
which get precipitated as insoluble red cuprous oxide(Cu2O)
 A greenish precipitate indicates about 0.5 g% concentration;
yellow precipitate indicates 1 g% concentration; orange indicates
1.5 g% and red indicates 2 g% or higher concentration.

3. Give some Examples for glycosides?

Sl No Glycosides Examples
1 Cardiac Digoxin (Digitalis lanata), Digitoxin (Digitalis
glycosides purpurea), Ouabain (Strophanthus gratus),
Bufotoxin (Toad skin)
2 Anthraquinone Senna (Cascara sagrada)
glycosides
(Emodins)
3 Aminoglycosides Streptomycin (Streptomyces griseus)
4 Miscellaneous Rutin, Saponins, Flavinoids

Department of Pharmacology, SVS Medical College, Mahabubnagar