Nicardipine Research Articles

Polymorphs and Solvates of Nicardipine Hydrochloride. Selective Stabilization of Different Diastereomeric Racemates

Molecular understanding of the drug nicardipine hydrochloride (NHc) is provided within this study. For this reason, the polymorphism and crystal structures, including stereochemistry, of the known and the new discovered polymorphs of NHc are discussed. Three new crystalline forms of the nicardipine hydrochloride drug have been isolated: (i) a bishydrated phase, (ii) a chloroform solvate and (iii) a toluene hemisolvate. The crystal structures of these new solvated phases and those of the previously known α and β polymorphs have been determined from conventional single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis (α phase and chloroform solvate) or from high quality powder X-ray diffraction data using direct-space methods (β phase, bishydrate and toluene hemisolvate). The analysis of the crystal structures revealed that nicardipine hydrochloride crystallizes, in all studied phases, as a racemate with the organic moiety adopting different diastereoisomeric configurations (addressed by the presence of two stereocenters, the C1 and N3 atoms) depending on the actual solvent or polymorph. The chirality of the protonated nicardipine molecules is driven, in the solids, by the strong electrostatic interactions between chloride ions and the protonated nitrogen atoms, which result, in the α phase and in the chloroform solvate, in centrosymmetric dimers built by R,R and S,S molecules. At variance, the β polymorph contains R,S and S,R molecules, still arranged in dimers, but possessing a markedly different molecular shape. Interestingly, in the bishydrated and toluene hemisolvate phases, a slightly disordered crystal structure about the positively charged ammonium group is formed, and both diasteroisomeric couples are present (although with different site occupation factors).

A Comparative Effectiveness Trial of Intravenous (IV) Nicardipine vs Labetalol in Patients With Hypertensive Crises and Renal Dysfunction

PURPOSE: Blood pressure (BP) control is commonly necessary in acutely hypertensive patients with renal dysfunction. Using the CLUE database, a randomized trial of nicardipine (NIC) vs labetalol (LAB), we compared the safety and efficacy of FDA recommended doses of these agents for HTN management in patients with renal insufficiency.

The effect of component of microemulsion for transdermal delivery of nicardipine hydrochloride

Purpose: Nicardipine hydrochloride has been used widely for the treatment of angina pectoris and hypertension. Because of its extensive first pass metabolism after oral administration, the transdermal administration of nicardipine microemulsions was developed in this study. Methods: Microemulsions consisted of isopropyl myristate (IPM), surfactant mixture of Tween 80/Span 80 and/or Tween 80/Span 20, co-surfactant (ethanol) and aqueous phase. Pseudo-ternary phase diagrams were constructed using water titration method. The effect of component of microemulsion on the percutaneous absorption of drug was evaluated by in vitro permeation study. Results: The area of microemulsion isotropic region in the presence of ethanol was comparably larger in the absence of ethanol. The mean droplet size of nicardipine microemulsions ranged from 70 to 123 nm. With addition of ethanol, the droplet size became smaller. The permeation rate and extent of nicardipine microemulsion transport across rat skin was affected by the components of microemulsion. Nicardipine microemulsion had higher flux at surfactant mixture with lower hyrophile-lipophile balance (HLB) value and Tween content. Conclusions: The microemulsion consisted of 52% IPM, 35% surfactant mixture and 13% water had higher permeation rate through rat skin above 122.53±1.87 μg/cm2/h and was expected to develop a transdermal delivery system.

Antihypertensive effect of nicardipine hydrochloride (Perdipine®) administered emergence of general anesthesia

Antihypertensive effect of nicardipine hydrochloride (Perdipine®) administered emergence of general anesthesia

Effect of Systolic Blood Pressure Reduction on Hematoma Expansion, Perihematomal Edema, and 3-Month Outcome Among Patients With Intracerebral Hemorrhage

Evidence indicates that systolic blood pressure (SBP) reduction may reduce hematoma expansion in patients with intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) who are initially seen with acute hypertensive response. To explore the relationship between different variables of SBP reduction and hematoma expansion, perihematomal edema, and 3-month outcome among patients with ICH. Post hoc analysis of a traditional phase 1 dose-escalation multicenter prospective study. Emergency departments and intensive care units. Patients having ICH with an elevated SBP of at least 170 mm Hg who were seen within 6 hours of symptom onset. Systolic blood pressure reduction using intravenous nicardipine hydrochloride targeting 3 tiers of sequentially escalating SBP reduction goals (170-199, 140-169, or 110-139 mm Hg). We evaluated the effect of SBP reduction (relative to initial SBP) on the following: hematoma expansion (defined as an increased intraparenchymal hemorrhage volume >33% on 24-hour vs baseline computed tomographic [CT] images), higher perihematomal edema ratio (defined as a >40% increased ratio of edema volume to hematoma volume on 24-hour vs baseline CT images), and poor 3-month outcome (defined as a modified Rankin scale score of 4-6). Sixty patients (mean [SD] age, 62.0 [15.1] years; 34 men) were recruited (18, 20, and 22 patients in each of the 3 SBP reduction goal tiers). The median area under the curve (AUC) (calculated as the area between the hourly SBP measurements over 24 hours and the baseline SBP) was 1360 (minimum, 3643; maximum, 45) U. Comparing patients having less vs more aggressive SBP reduction based on 24-hour AUC analysis, frequencies were 32% vs 17% for hematoma expansion, 61% vs 40% for higher perihematomal edema ratio, and 46% vs 38% for poor 3-month outcome (P > .05 for all). The median SBP reductions were 54 mm Hg at 6 hours and 62 mm Hg at 6 hours from treatment initiation. Comparing patients having equal to or less vs more than the median SBP reduction at 2 hours, frequencies were 21% vs 31% for hematoma expansion, 42% vs 57% for higher perihematomal edema ratio, and 35% vs 48% for poor 3-month outcome (P > .05 for all). We found no significant relationship between SBP reduction and any of the outcomes measured herein; however, the Antihypertensive Treatment of Acute Cerebral Hemorrhage study was primarily a safety study and was not powered for such end points. The consistent favorable direction of these associations supports further studies with an adequately powered randomized controlled design to evaluate the efficacy of aggressive pharmacologic SBP reduction.

Influence of nicardipine and nifedipine on plasma carvedilol disposition after oral administration in rats

The effect of two kinds of 1,4-dihydropyridine calcium-channel blockers, nicardipine hydrochloride and nifedipine, on the disposition of carvedilol, was studied in rats. Blood samples were assayed for carvedilol levels using solid-phase extraction and high-performance liquid chromatography. The plasma carvedilol concentration was found to be significantly higher, and the area under the concentration-time curve up to 24 h (AUC0-->24) was 6.7 and 3.0 times higher after simultaneous oral administration of 20 mg kg(-1) carvedilol with 40 mg kg(-1) nicardipine hydrochloride, or with 40 mg kg(-1) nifedipine, respectively, than after administration of carvedilol alone. The pharmacokinetic interaction between carvedilol and dihydropyridine calcium-channel blockers is thought to be attributable to vasodilator-induced changes in hepatic first-pass metabolism, inhibition in the absorption barrier by P-glycoprotein and in the metabolism of carvedilol.

Can BP Reduction Treat the Hypertensive Response

The hypertensive response seen in intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) is associated with hematoma expansion and poor outcome, but whether this relation is causal is not known. The authors conducted a pilot, multicenter, controlled trial to test the safety and feasibility of reducing systolic blood pressure (SBP) to one of three target thresholds: 170–200 mm Hg, 140–170 mm Hg, or 110–140 mm Hg. A total of 60 patients were enrolled, with similar numbers in each target group. Nicardipine was started within 6 hours after symptom onset and continued for 24 hours. In this substudy, the investigators performed a post hoc analysis …

A Novel Rapid Quantitative Analysis of Drug Migration on Tablets Using Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy

There have been few reports wherein drug migration from the interior to the surface of a tablet has been analyzed quantitatively until now. In this paper, we propose a novel, rapid, quantitative analysis of drug migration in tablets using laser induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS). To evaluate drug migration, model tablets containing nicardipine hydrochloride as active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) were prepared by a conventional wet granulation method. Since the color of this API is pale yellow and all excipients are white, we can observe the degree of drug migration by visual inspection in these model tablets. In order to prepare tablets with different degrees of drug migration, the temperature of the drying process after tableting was varied between 50 to 80 °C. Using these manifold tablets, visual inspection, Fourier transform (FT)-IR mapping and LIBS analysis were carried out to evaluate the drug migration in the tablets. While drug migration could be observed using all methods, only LIBS analysis could provide quantitative analysis wherein the average LIBS intensity was correlated with the degree of drug migration obtained from the drying temperature. Moreover, in this work, we compared the sample preparation, data analysis process and measurement time for visual inspection, FT-IR mapping and LIBS analysis. The results of the comparison between these methods demonstrated that LIBS analysis is the simplest and the fastest method for migration monitoring. From the results obtained, we conclude that LIBS analysis is one of most useful process analytical technology (PAT) tools to solve the universal migration problem.

A Selective High Performance Liquid Chromatographic Method to Follow the Hydrolytic Degradation of Nicardipine Hydrochloride

A simple, stability indicating, reverse phase high performance liquid chromatographic method was developed and validated for determination of nicardipine hydrochloride (NC) in the presence of its degradation products. The chromatographic separation was performed on Hypersil, BDS‐C18, 30 cm × 3.9 mm id, at ambient temperature with UV‐detection at 254 nm. A mixture of 20% (v/v) aqueous 0.01 M sodium acetate∕acetic acid buffer (pH 4.5) and 80% acetonitrile was used as the mobile phase at a flow rate of 1.5 mL min-1, losartan was used as internal standard. The calibration curve is linear over the concentration range 5‐40 μg mL-1, with a regression coefficient of 0.9984 and the % recovery was 99.78±0.17. The method was used to investigate the kinetics of alkaline, acids induced degradation, effect of buffer concentration and temperature. The degradation followed first‐order kinetics. The rate constant, half‐life time, and activation energy were calculated

High-performance liquid chromatographic method for the determination of nicardipine in pure, pharmaceutical preparations and plasma and its application to pharmacokinetics in humans

A simple, sensitive and reproducible reversed-phase liquid chromatographic method has been developed and validated for the determination of nicardipine hydrochloride (NC) in pure, pharmaceutical preparations, human plasma and the study of the pharmacokinetics of the drug in human body. Nicardipine in plasma were extracted with hexane-butanol (12:1,v/v) after addition of borate buffer (0.5 M, pH=9.0), and then measured by HPLC-UV using a Waters Symmetry C18 column as stationary phase and methanol– triethylamine buffer (0.01M) pH 4 with acetic acid (70:30) as mobile phase. Nicardipine was quantified by ultraviolet absorbance at 353 nm. The method proved to be linear in the pure drug in the ranges of 15-200 ng/mL (r=0.9989) and 5-40 µg/mL (r=0.9995), and for the pharmaceutical preparations and plasma for drug concentrations in the range of 5-40 µg/mL (r =0.9992) and 25-150 ng/mL (r=0.9991), respectively. The lower limit of detection and the lower quantitation limit of NC in plasma were 11.74 and 35.57 ng/mL, respectively. The method is sensitive and reliable for pharmacokinetic studies of nicardipine in humans after the oral administration of immediate-release capsules to healthy subjects.

Kinetic Spectrofluorometric Determination of Certain Calcium Channel Blockers via Oxidation with Cerium (IV) in Pharmaceutical Preparations

A simple and sensitive kinetic spectrofluorometric method was developed for the determination of some calcium channel blockers namely, verapamil hydrochloride, diltiazem hydrochloride, nicardipine hydrochloride and flunarizine. The method is based upon oxidation of the studied drugs with cerium (IV) ammonium sulphate in acidic medium. The fluorescence of the produced Ce (III) was measured at 365 nm after excitation at 255nm. The different experimental parameters affecting the development and stability of the reaction product were carefully studied and optimized. The fluorescence-concentration plots were rectilinear for all the studied compounds over the concentration range of 0.01 to 0.12 µg mL-1. The limits of detections for the studied compounds ranged from 2.93 × 10-3 to 0.012 µg mL-1 and limits of quantification from 9.76 × 10-3 to 0.04 µg mL-1 were obtained. The method was successfully applied to the analysis of commercial tablets. The results obtained were in good agreement with those obtained with reference methods.

Effects of verapamil and nicardipine on human sear fibroblast in serum-free culture

Objective To study the inhibitory effect of verapamil and nicardipine on human scar fibroblast in serum-free culture and to compare the effectness of the two drugs.Methods We used MTT method to detect the effect of two drugs on human scar fibroblast proliferation:adding verapamil and nicardipine with different concentrations in the culture of fibroblasts which were in logarithmic growth phase (150,100,50,10,0μmol/L).After 24,72,and 120 h,we used MTT method to detect the cell proliferation,and converted the absorbance into growth inhibitory ratio.Results Verapamil and nicardipine showed the definite inhibition on the hypertrophic scar fibroblast (HSFB) and keloid fibroblast (KDFB) which were cultured in vitro.There was some difference in the action feature.In the earlier period,the effect of verapamil was powerful than that of nicardipine.With time,the effect did not reinforce.When fibroblast had been cultured for three to five days,the inhibition became weak.But nicardipine showed lasting inhibition on fibroblast proliferation.Conclusion Combination of verapamil with nicardipine may be a valuable method in the treatment of scar. Key words: Verapamil; Nicardipine; Scar; Fibroblast

Rx Report

Rx Report

The ECLIPSE Trials: Comparative Studies of Clevidipine to Nitroglycerin, Sodium Nitroprusside, and Nicardipine for Acute Hypertension Treatment in Cardiac Surgery Patients

Acute hypertension during cardiac surgery can be difficult to manage and may adversely affect patient outcomes. Clevidipine is a novel, rapidly acting dihydropyridine L-type calcium channel blocker with an ultrashort half-life that decreases arterial blood pressure (BP). The Evaluation of CLevidipine In the Perioperative Treatment of Hypertension Assessing Safety Events trial (ECLIPSE) was performed to compare the safety and efficacy of clevidipine (CLV) with nitroglycerin (NTG), sodium nitroprusside (SNP), and nicardipine (NIC) in the treatment of perioperative acute hypertension in patients undergoing cardiac surgery. We analyzed data from three prospective, randomized, open-label, parallel comparison studies of CLV to NTG or SNP perioperatively, or NIC postoperatively in patients undergoing cardiac surgery at 61 medical centers. Of the 1964 patients enrolled, 1512 met postrandomization inclusion criteria of requiring acute treatment of hypertension based on clinical criteria. The patients were randomized 1:1 for each of the three parallel comparator treatment groups. The primary outcome was the incidence of death, myocardial infarction, stroke or renal dysfunction at 30 days. Adequacy and precision of BP control was evaluated and is reported as a secondary outcome. There was no difference in the incidence of myocardial infarction, stroke or renal dysfunction for CLV-treated patients compared with the other treatment groups. There was no difference in mortality rates between the CLV, NTG or NIC groups. Mortality was significantly higher, though, for SNP-treated patients compared with CLV-treated patients (P=0.04). CLV was more effective compared with NTG (P=0.0006) or SNP (P=0.003) in maintaining BP within the prespecified BP range. CLV was equivalent to NIC in keeping patients within a prespecified BP range; however, when BP range was narrowed, CLV was associated with fewer BP excursions beyond these BP limits compared with NIC. CLV is a safe and effective treatment for acute hypertension in patients undergoing cardiac surgery.

PROSPECTIVE RANDOMIZED COMPARISON OF SAFETY AND EFFICACY OF NICARDIPINE AND NITROPRUSSIDE DRIP FOR CONTROL OF HYPERTENSION IN THE NEUROSURGICAL INTENSIVE CARE UNIT

The calcium channel blocker nicardipine (NC) is effective for acute control of hypertension. However, efficacy and safety in neurosurgical patients have not been evaluated. We sought to compare NC with the most commonly used agent, sodium nitroprusside (SNP), in patients with subarachnoid or intracerebral hemorrhage. We performed a prospective randomized comparison of the safety and efficacy of NC and SNP in patients with subarachnoid or intracerebral hemorrhage. We assessed the number of dose adjustments per patient day, proportion of time within set blood pressure parameters, use of additional medications for blood pressure control, clinical outcome, and drug-related complications. Two hundred patients were screened and 163 patients were randomized, including 89 in the SNP group and 74 in the NC group. In 107 patients, intravenous blood pressure control was started; 60 of these patients received SNP and 47 received NC. When analyzed by intent to treat, patients randomized to NC had fewer dose adjustments per day: 5.7 versus 8.8 in the nitroprusside group (P = 0.0012, Wilcoxon rank-sum test). There were fewer additional medications per day to maintain blood pressure control in the NC group: 1.4 versus 1.9 for SNP (P = 0.043, Wilcoxon rank-sum test). Blood pressure control was similar (NC, 66% of the time within parameters; SNP, 69%). "As-treated" analysis maintained the apparent advantage of NC. When used for control of hypertension in patients with subarachnoid or intracerebral hemorrhage, NC and SNP were both safe and effective, but patients on an NC drip required fewer dose adjustments and fewer additional medications.

Method development and validation for the simultaneous determination of cinnarizine and co-formulated drugs in pharmaceutical preparations by capillary electrophoresis

Rapid and simple capillary electrophoresis (CE) methods were developed for the simultaneous determinations of cinnarizine and domperidone (CN/DOM) and cinnarizine and nicergoline (CN/NIC) in their co-formulated tablets. The optimized CE conditions were as follows: running buffer, methanol–acetate buffer (pH 3.0, 10 mM) (80:20 and 85:15 (v/v) for CN/DOM and CN/NIC, respectively); applied voltage, 20 kV; UV detection wavelengths, 215 and 227 nm for CN/DOM and CN/NIC, respectively; hydrodynamic injection was performed at a height of 25 mm for 30 s. Quinine hydrochloride and nicardipine hydrochloride were used as internal standards for the determination of CN/DOM and CN/NIC, respectively. Calibration curves were linear over the ranges 0.25–20/0.375–15 μg/ml (CN/DOM) and 0.25–25/0.4–10 μg/ml (CN/NIC) in each optimized condition. Detection limits were 0.074/0.119 μg/ml and 0.072/0.116 μg/ml for CN/DOM and CN/NIC, respectively. The proposed methods were successfully applied for the simultaneous determination of both CN/DOM and CN/NIC in their co-formulated tablets without interfering peaks due to the excipients present in the pharmaceutical tablets. The estimated amounts of CN/DOM and CN/NIC were almost identical with the certified values, and their percentage relative standard deviation values (%R.S.D.) were found to be ≤2.34% ( n = 3).

Abstract 2742: The Comparison Of Direct Measurement Of Central Blood Pressure And Noninvasive Evaluation By Radial Artery Tonometry.

Background and objectives: New devices including radial applanation tonometer have been developed for central blood pressure measurement. The devices can noninvasively calculate the central blood pressure. To investigate the accuracy of estimated central blood pressure, this study demonstrates the comparison of catheter based central blood pressure and radial applatnation tonometer based central blood pressure. Materials and Methods: Seventy two patients (64 ± 10 years old) underwent cardiac catheterization were recruited for this study. Ascending aortic pressure was measured using a pressure guide wire (RADI Medical Systems), and recorded on a laptop personal computer through a SEIREG polygraph (Siemens). Radial arterial pulse waves were simultaneously measured noninvasively using applanation tonometry technique by HEM-9000AI (Omron Healthcare Co.,Ltd.) and SphygmoCor (AtCor Medical Pty Ltd.). The measurements were performed before and after administration of vasodilator (nicorandil or glycerol trinitrate) or antihypertensive (nicardipine hydrochloride) drugs. The central blood pressure calculated by HEM-9000AI (cSBP) and SphygmoCor (aSBP Sphy) was compared respectively with that by catheter (aSBP). Results: cSBP and aSBP Sphy indicated significant correlation with aSBP (r=0.94, 0.93, respectively, p=0.001). The regression line slope of cSBP to aSBP was 0.92 and that of aSBP Sphy to aSBP was 0.76. A significant difference was observed between aSBP and aSBP Sphy, but was not observed between aSBP and cSBP. Bland-Altman test showed that the difference of cSBP to aSBP was - 0.4 ± 9.6 mmHg and that of aSBP Sphy to aSBP was -9.0 ± 10.3 mmHg. It shows significant difference between cSBP to aSBP error and aSBP Sphy to aSBP error (p<0.05). Conclusion: The central blood pressure measured by HEM-9000AI is very close to that by catheter. These findings indicate that noninvasive central blood pressure measurement by radial applanation tonometry is accurate enough for clinical applications.

Nicardipine inhibits human conjunctival fibroblastic proliferation, migration and attachment in vitro

Abstract Purpose: To evaluate the effect of the calcium channel blocker nicardipine (NIC) on fibroblastic proliferation, migration, attachment and cell viability on human conjunctival fibroblasts in vitro Methods: Human conjunctival fibroblasts were incuvated in a humidified incubator (37ºC‐5%CO2), plus the doses of NIC to be tested. Fibroblastic proliferation at 18, 24 and 48 h was evaluated with a colorimetric assay based on the cleavage of the tetrazolium salt WST‐1 by mitochondrial dehydrogenases in viable cells. Cell viability was evaluated at 4 h with the WST‐1 asssay and with trypan blue (TB) staining. Migration was determined in a artificial wound made in a confluent fibroblast monolayer. Cell free areas were monitored with digitallized images at 0, 18, 24 and 48 h. Fibroblastic attachment was evaluated at 24 h with the WST‐1 asssay. Groups: 9 controls and 9 NIC concentrations (10‐4, 7.5x10‐5, 5x10‐5, 2.5x10‐5, 10‐5, 7.5x10‐6, 10‐6, 10‐7 and 10‐8 M). Each experiment was carried out in triplicate and repeated 4 times Results: NIC < or = 10‐5 M showed cell viability >98% with TB and >99% with WST‐1 at 4 h. DI50=1.018x10‐4 M. NIC > or = 10‐5 M at 18 h, and NIC > or = 7.5x10‐6 M at 24 and 48 h showed significantly less proliferation than control groups. DI50 in 7.5x10‐5‐5x10‐5 M rank. NIC > or = 10‐5 M showed significantly larger cell‐free areas at 18, 24 and 48 h. NIC < or = 7.5x10‐6 M didn´t showed differences among the control groups. NIC > or = 7.5x10‐6 M inhibited fibroblastic attachment in >23% at 24 h. DI50=1.107x10‐3 M Conclusions: NIC have a significant inhibitory effect in vitro on conjunctival fibroblastic wound healing process with potential applicability in ophthalmic surgery

Characterization of Solid Maltose Microneedles and their Use for Transdermal Delivery

To characterize solid maltose microneedles and assess their ability to increase transdermal drug delivery. Microneedles and microchannels were characterized using methylene blue staining and scanning electron microscopy. Diffusion pattern of calcein was observed using confocal scanning laser microscopy. Transepidermal water loss (TEWL) measurements were made to study the skin barrier recovery after treatment. Uniformity in calcein uptake by the pores was characterized and percutaneous penetration of nicardipine hydrochloride (NH) was studied in vitro and in vivo across hairless rat skin. Microneedles were measured to be 508.46 +/- 9.32 microm long with a radius of curvature of 3 mum at the tip. They penetrated the skin while creating microchannels measuring about 55.42 +/- 8.66 microm in diameter. Microchannels were visualized by methylene blue staining. Pretreatment with microneedles resulted in the migration of calcein into the microchannels. TEWL increased after pretreatment and uptake of calcein by the pores was uniform as measured by the pore permeability index values. NH in vitro transport across skin increased significantly after pretreatment (flux 7.05 microg/cm(2)/h) as compared to the untreated skin (flux 1.72 microg/cm(2)/h) and the enhanced delivery was also demonstrated in vivo in hairless rats. Maltose microneedles were characterized and shown to create microchannels in the skin, which were also characterized and shown to improve the transdermal delivery of NH.

Microemulsion Liquid Chromatographic Determination of Nicardipine Hydrochloride in Pharmaceutical Preparations and Biological Fluids. Application to Stability Studies

A simple, stability indicating, reversed phase high performance liquid chromatographic method has been developed for the determination of nicardipine hydrochloride (NC) in the presence of its degradation products. Reversed phase chromatography was conducted using a Hibar‐C18 (150×4.6 mm i.d.) stainless steel column at ambient temperature with UV‐detection at 238 nm. Microemulsion mobile phase consisting of 0.175 M sodium dodecyl sulphate, 10% n‐propanol, 0.3% triethylamine in 0.02 M phosphoric acid of pH 6.5, has been used for the separation of nicardipine hydrochloride and its two degradation products at a flow rate of 1 mL min−1. The calibration curve was rectilinear over the concentration range 1‐40 µg mL−1 with a detection limit of 0.024 µg mL−1 (4.65×10−8 mol/L) and quantification limit of 0.08 µg mL−1 (1.55×10−7 mol/L). The proposed method was successfully applied for the analysis of nicardipine in pure form and commercial capsules, with the mean % recoveries of 100.12±0.28 and 100.87±0.41, respectively. The results obtained were favorably compared to those obtained by a reference method. The method was extended to the in‐vitro determination of NC in spiked human plasma samples with the mean % recovery of 100.33±3.06 (n=3). Moreover, the method was utilized to investigate the kinetics of both alkaline induced degradation and photo degradation of the drug. The apparent first‐order rate constant, half‐life time, and activation energy of the degradation product were calculated.