Determination of trimebutine in pharmaceuticals by differential pulse voltammetry at a glassy carbon electrode

The differential pulse voltammetric (DPV) determination of trimebutine (TMB) was achieved at a glassy carbon electrode in acetonitrile/0.1 M LiClO4. Trimebutine gave two irreversible, diffusion controlled peaks at 740 and 1318 mV versus Ag/AgCl reference electrode, respectively. The second oxidation peak was used to determine trimebutine concentrations in the range 1-50 microg ml(-1) with a detection limit (3sigmam) of 0.3 microg ml(-1). Precision of the method (RSD, n=6) within- and between-days obtained from six determinations at 5 microg ml(-1) was found to be 0.7 and 1.1%, respectively. The method was successfully applied to the quantitation of TMB in granule dosage form (Debridat) and recoveries between 98.4 and 101% were obtained. Excipients did not interfere with the assay and the results agreed well with those determined by previously established HPLC method.