Electrochemical determination of paracetamol, rutin and sulfonamide in pharmaceutical formulations by using glassy carbon electrode – A Review

Abstract

Recent advances in the electrochemical application of glassy carbon electrode for determination of selected drugs in pharmaceutical formulations are reviewed. Several analytical techniques such as liquid chromatography, high performance liquid chromatography, spectrophotometry, chemiluminescence, and capillary electrophoresis-mass spectrometry have been used for the detection and separation of pharmaceutical active components due to their high sensitivity and great selectivity. However, all these methods are complicated, time-consuming and require expensive equipment. In contrast to these conventional techniques, the electrochemical technique overcomes those drawbacks owing to its low cost, rapid response and application in on-site test. Special attention is paid on this review for electrochemical application of bare and modified glassy carbon electrode for the determination of paracetamol, rutin and sulfonamide in pharmaceutical formulation.

Keywords:

• electrochemistry
• glassy carbon electrodes
• pharmaceutical formulation
• electrochemical methods

PUBLIC INTEREST STATEMENT

Various analytical methods have been reported to examine the therapeutic efficacy of drug in pharmaceutical formulation and biological samples. However, most of these methods are complicated and expensive equipment. Electrochemical methods, on the contrary, are simple, selective, and environmentally friendly making them of choice for the determination of drugs.

The active ingredient in paracetamol, rutin and sulfonamide are electroactive that can be detected using voltammetric techniques. Glassy carbon (GC) is widely used electrode materials reported for the analysis of the aforementioned drugs which might be due to its wide potential range, greater inertness to chemical attack, excellent mechanical and electrical properties. Modification of an electrode surface including GCE usually improves its response for the analyte may be due to increased surface area, adsorption, or electron exchange.

This review thus demonstrates the application of modified glassy carbon electrodes for the determination of the three selected drugs and shows the effect of the nature of the modifier on the performance of glassy carbon electrode towards an analyte.

Competing interests

The authors declare no competing interests.

Acknowledgements

The authors extend their appreciation to the person involves on this mini-review paper and those contribute the material on this work.

Author contributions

Adane Kassa and Meareg Amare finding paper on the topic and revised the writing of the paper.

Availability of data and material are not applicable for this mini-review paper.

Conflict of interests

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Funding

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Notes on contributors

Adane Kassa

Adane Kassa completed his MSc degree in Inorganic Chemistry from Bahir Dar University, Ethiopia. Currently, he is a PhD student in the Department of Chemistry at Bahir Dar University under the supervision of Dr. Meareg Amare. His research interests are development of sensors for the analysis of electroactive drugs. He is also interested in synthesis and characterization of inorganic complexes. He has published six articles in reputable journals.

Meareg Amare

Dr. Meareg Amare, who has obtained MSc in analytical chemistry and PhD in physical chemistry both from Addis Ababa University is now an Associate Professor at the Department of Chemistry, Bahir Dar University, Ethiopia. His research interest covers catalysis, development of electrochemical sensors and biosensors, nanomaterial applications, drug analysis in pharmaceutical samples, and analysis of heavy metals in environmental samples including tannery effluents. He has published over 25 articles in reputable journals most of which are on electrochemical method developments for determination of electroactive pharmaceutical ingredients.