LIQUID-CHROMATOGRAPHIC DETERMINATION OF FLUNARIZINE DIHYDROCHLORIDE IN THE PRESENCE OF ITS DEGRADATION PRODUCT

A simple, stability-indicating liquid chromatographic method has been developed for the assay of flunarizine dihydrochloride in the presence of its acid-induced degradation product. A Bondapak-C-18 column was used with a mobile phase consisting of methanol-water (75:25, v/v) containing 0.5% w/v sodium chloride and 0.2% v/v triethanolamine adjusted to pH 6.6 with 30% hydrochloric acid at a flow rate 2 ml min(-1). Quantitation was achieved with UV detection at 254 nm based on peak area or peak height ratios. The proposed method was successfully applied to the determination of the drug in laboratory-prepared mixtures in the presence of its degradation product and in capsules. Moreover, the method was utilized to investigate the kinetics of the degradation process at different temperatures and the apparent first-order rate constant, half-life and activation energy calculated.