Direct determination of the enantiomers of halofantrine and its pharmacologically active metabolite N-desbutylhalofantrine by high-performance liquid chromatography.

The enantiomers of halofantrine and its main metabolite, N-desbutylhalofantrine, were separated on two different polysaccharide-based chiral stationary phases. The steroselective biotransformation of halofantrine was determined using rat liver homogenates. (-)-Halofantrine is metabolized preferentially.