Abstract
A simple, fast, sensitive and stability-indicating derivative spectrofluorimetric method is presented for the assay of zopiclone (ZOP), a drug with hypnotic effect, and its main degradation product and major contaminant, 2-amino-5-chloropyridine (ACP). The method is based on measuring the inherent fluorescence intensity of both drugs at λex=300nm in methanol, then differentiation using D1 (first derivative technique). The developed method was found to be rectilinear over a range of 0.2–4μg/mL of ZOP and 4–100ng/mL of ACP. The limits of detection were 0.05μg/mL of ZOP and 0.2ng/mL of ACP with the limit of quantitation of 0.17μg/mL of ZOP and 0.7ng/mL of ACP. The outcoming results of the proposed method were compared to those obtained by a reference method showing no significant statistical difference between them concerning precision and accuracy. Additionally, the developed method was applied for detecting ACP in spiked human urine and plasma specimens as a tool of clinical evidence of zopiclone intake that can be easily implemented in forensic laboratories. The proposed method was validated as per ICH guidelines.
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•The proposed method is useful to detect zopiclone intake in forensic laboratories.•It allows the determination of zopiclone and its main degradation product, 2-amino-5-chloropyridine in raw material and pharmaceutical formulations.•The proposed method is fast, simple, sensitive, precise and economic.•The proposed method was validated according to ICH regulations.