Electrochemical characterisation of nefazodone hydrochloride and voltammetric determination of the drug in pharmaceuticals and human serum

Nefazodone, an antidepressant was electrochemically studied in various buffer systems and at different pH using glassy carbon electrode. Nefazodone was electrochemically oxidized at all pH values. According to the linear relation between the peak current and the nefazodone concentration differential pulse (DPV) and square wave (SWV) voltammetric methods for its quantitative determination in pharmaceuticals and human serum were developed. For analytical purposes, a very well resolved diffusion controlled voltammetric peak was obtained in 0.1 M H₂SO₄ at 0.99 and 1.03 V for DPV and SWV techniques, respectively. The linear response was obtained in the ranges of 8×10⁻⁷ to 6×10⁻⁴ M with a detection limit of 2.1×10⁻⁷ M for DPV and 1.17×10⁻⁷ M for SWV techniques. The repeatability and reproducibility of the methods were within 1.03, 0.81% relative standard deviations (R.S.D.) for peak currents and 0.40, 0.20% R.S.D. for peak potentials, for DPV and SWV, respectively. Precision and accuracy of the developed method was checked by recovery studies. The proposed methods were successfully applied to the individual tablet dosage form and human serum.