Electrochemical approach for the sensitive determination of anticancer drug epirubicin in pharmaceuticals in the presence of anionic surfactant

Abstract

In this research, sensitive, rapid, different electrochemical methods were developed for the determination of anticancer drug epirubicin. The aim of the study was to fully validated determination of epirubicin in pharmaceuticals, by means of electroanalytical methods. The detailed electrooxidative behavior of epirubicin was investigated using cyclic, differential pulse and square wave voltammetry at boron-doped diamond electrode. The possible oxidation mechanism was discussed. Surfactant effect was also examined using 1×10-3 M sodium dodecyl sulphate. The oxidation process was found nearly irreversible over the pH range studied and exhibited diffusion controlled electrode process. All experimental parameters have been optimized and the following studies were realized under the optimum conditions. The sensor used in this research is suitable for the analysis of the trace amounts of epirubicin in pharmaceuticals. The proposed methods were applied to commercial preparations and average percentage recovery was in good agreement between each other (differential pulse and square wave voltammetry).