A new method for the simultaneous determination of 1,4-benzodiazepines and amfepramone as adulterants in phytotherapeutic formulations by voltammetry

The use of synthetic pharmaceuticals in phytotherapeutics can be defined as an illegal practice, since these compounds are normally present as non-declared compounds in the phytotherapeutical formulations. This work aims to show the development of an analytical method based on adsorptive cathodic stripping voltammetry (AdCSV) for the simultaneous determination of 1,4-benzodiazepines and amfepramone. The developed method was used to measure seven benzodiazepines (clonazepam, flurazepam, alprazolam, midazolam, medazepam, chlordiazepoxide, and diazepam) and amfepramone in slimming formulations that have been commercialized in Brazil. This method permits the screening of adulterant classes in a single voltammetric run by using a hanging mercury drop electrode as a working electrode and Ringer buffer (pH 10.0) as a supporting electrolyte. Recovery values ranging from 92.0% to 117.0% demonstrate the reliability of the method in the determination of adulterants in real samples. Among the 12 samples studied by the proposed method, 4 were demonstrated to be adulterated by 1,4-benzodiazepines. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.