VOLTAMMETRIC BEHAVIOR OF THE ANTI-INFLAMMATORY ALKALOID COLCHICINE AT A GLASSY CARBON ELECTRODE AND A HANGING MERCURY ELECTRODE AND ITS DETERMINATION AT PPB LEVELS

ABSTRACT

Cyclic voltammetry has been used to study the oxidation and reduction behavior of the tricyclic alkaloid colchicine at a glassy carbon electrode and a hanging drop mercury electrode (HMDE). The reaction was found to be quasi-reversible and irreversible, respectively. Cathodic stripping voltammetry at HMDE was used to determine colchicine in aqueous, biological media, and pharmaceutical formulations. The adsorptive stripping response was evaluated as a function of preconcentration time, preconcentration potential and other variables. The effect of the interfering compounds such as ascorbic acid, urea, amino acids and some metal ions, has also been studied. The limit of detection was 1 nM (0.4 ng/mL).

Keywords:

• Colchicine
• Voltammetric behavior
• Adsorption

Acknowledgments