Abstract
Two simple, sensitive, and rapid spectrofluorimetric methods were developed and validated for the determination of albendazole. The first method (method I) was based on the quenching effect of albendazole on the native fluorescence of erythrosine B. The fluorescence intensity was measured at 554 nm after extraction at 527 nm. In the second method (method II) the drug was reacted with lanthanum(III) ions to form a metal complex, which was measured at 340 nm after excitation at 295 nm. The suitable pH was 3.4 (Teorell-Stenhagen buffer) and pH 5.5 (phosphate buffer solution), for method I and II, respectively. The influence of experimental factors on the fluorescence intensity of the reaction products was investigated and optimized. The linear concentration ranges were 0.2-3.5 and 0.06-0.90 mg mL(-1), with detection limits of 0.049 and 0.019 mg mL(-1) for method I and II, respectively. ICH guidelines were followed for validation of the developed procedures, and the results were acceptable. The Gibb's free energy change of the reactions was -24.6 and -27.5 kJ mol(-1) for method I and II, respectively. These negative values indicated the high feasibility of these reactions at ambient temperature. The proposed procedures were applied successfully for the determination of albendazole in commercial dosage forms and spiked human plasma. The results showed high precision, accuracy and recovery of the reported methods without any significant interference from pharmaceutical excipients or plasma components.