Abstract
A high-throughput 96-microwell plate fluorometric method was developed and validated to determine omeprazole (OMZ) in its dosage forms. The method was based on the charge-transfer (CT) sensitized fluorescence reaction of OMZ with 2, 3-dichloro-5, 6-dicyano-1, 4-benzoquinone (DDQ). This fluorescence reaction provided a new approach for simple, sensitive and selective determinations of OMZ in pharmaceutical preparations. In the present method, the fluorescence reaction was carried out in 96-microwell plates as reaction vessels in order to increase the automation of the methodology and the efficiency of its use in quality control laboratories. All factors affecting the fluorescence reaction were carefully studied and the conditions were optimized. The stoichiometry of the fluorescence reaction between OMZ and DDQ was determined and the reaction mechanism was suggested. Under the optimum conditions, the linear range was 100–6000 ng/ml with the lowest LOD of 33 ng/ml. Analytical performance of the proposed assay, in terms of accuracy and precision, was statistically validated and the results were satisfactory; RSD was <2.6 % and the accuracy was 98.6–101.6 %. The method was successfully applied to the analysis of OMZ in its dosage forms; the recovery values were 98.26–99.60 ± 0.95–2.22 %. The developed methodology may provide a safer, automated and economic tool for the analysis of OMZ in quality control laboratories.