Optimization, Validation and Application of a Capillary Zone Electrophoresis Method for the Assay of Sparfloxacin in Pharmaceutical Formulation

Abstract

A capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE) method has been developed for the determination of the antibiotic sparfloxacin in tablets. The CZE separation was performed using 75 µm×35 cm fused-silica capillary under the following conditions: 25°C; applied voltage, 12 kV; 25 mM H3PO4-NaOH running buffer (pH 8.5). The detection wavelength was 254 nm. Flumequine was used as internal standard (IS). The method was suitably validated with respect to linearity, limit of detection and quantification, accuracy, precision, specificity, and robustness. The calibration was linear from 10 to 60 µg mL−1 and the limit of detection and quantification were 5.38 and 9.46 µg mL−1, respectively. Recoveries ranging from 95.68%–102.4% were obtained in the determination of sparfloxacin that were spiked to placebos. Excipients in the commercial tablets and degraded products from different stress conditions did not interfere in the assay. The method was successfully applied to the determination of sparfloxacin in pharmaceutical tablets.