Abstract
Simple and sensitive kinetic spectrophotometric methods were established for the determination of escitalopram oxalate in bulk and in its pharmaceutical preparations using alkaline potassium permanganate as an oxidizing agent. The methods involve determination of eseitalopram Oxalate by kinetic studies of its oxidation at room temperature for a fixed time of 15 min. The absorbance of the colored manganate ions was measured at 610 nm. Alternatively, the decrease in the absorbance of permanganate upon addition of the studied drug was also measured at 525 nm. The absorbance-concentration plots in both procedures were rectilinear over the range of 4.0-25.0 mu g mL(-1). The different experimental parameters affecting the development were carefully studied and optimized. The determination of escitalopram oxalate by the fixed concentration and initial rate methods is also feasible with the calibration equations obtained but the fixed time method has been found to be more applicable. Both procedures were applied to the determination of escitalopram oxalate in formulations. The results obtained were in good agreement with those obtained using reference methods. The proposed methods have a great value in their application to the analysis of escitalopram oxalate in quality control laboratories.