Determination of doxorubicin hydrochloride by visible spectrophotometry

Four simple and sensitive visible spectrophotometric methods (A-D) have been described for the assay of doxorubicin hydrochloride either in pure form or in pharmaceutical formulations. Method A was developed based on oxidation of the drug with Fe(III) to produce Fe(II), which subsequently reacts with 1,10-ortho-phenanthroline to form a red colored complex (lambda(max): 510 nm) at pH 4.6. Method B involves the reduction of Folin-Ciocalteu (F-C) reagent by the drug and the reduced species formed possesses a characteristic intense blue color (lambda(max): 770 nm). In methods C and D, oxidation of the drug with periodate at specified experimental conditions yields formaldehyde and dialdehyde, which in turn react either with 3-methyl-2-benzothiazolinone hydrazone hydrochloride to form an intensely brilliant blue cationic dye (lambda(max): 620-670 nm, method C) or by condensation with phenylhydrazine hydrochloride (PHH) to form orange-red colored product (lambda(max): 510 nm, method D) in the presence of potassium ferricyanide. All of the variables have been optimized and the reaction mechanisms presented. The concentration measurements are reproducible within a relative standard deviation of 1.0%.