HIGH-PERFORMANCE LIQUID-CHROMATOGRAPHY OF THE ANTIHISTAMINE PYRILAMINE AND ITS N-OXIDE USING ELECTROCHEMICAL DETECTION

The electrochemical behavior of the over-the-counter antihistamine drug pyrilamine and its N-oxide analogue, have been studied by several voltammetric methods. Cyclic voltammograms of pyrilamine maleate in 0.1 M ammonium acetate at pH 7.0 indicated a quasi-reversible electrode process by observing a wave at + 0.85 V and + 1.30 V in the initial anodic sweep followed by a wave at - 1.30 V versus Ag/AgCl. Differential pulse and hydrodynamic voltammetry of pyrilamine and the N-oxide were examined to determine oxidation potentials for use in high-performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection (HPLC-ED). Differentiation between pyrilamine and its N-oxide was achieved in HPLC-ED analyses at a detection potential of + 0.7 V and + 0.9 V versus Ag/AgCl with tandem ultraviolet detection at 254 nm. Utility of the HPLC-ED method was demonstrated by the analysis of pyrilamine and the N-oxide in microbial biotransformation samples.