Analytical Study of Nifedipine and Its Photo - Oxidized Form

Abstract

Nifedipine, a calcium channel blocking dihydrophridine derivative, undergoes ready photochemical conversion to the corresponding pyridine derivative when exposed to normal laboratory and UV light. the Photo-Oxidation of the drug leads to remarkable diminution of pharmacological activity.The study describes a direct and simple spectrophotometric method for the simultaneous determination of both nifedipine and its oxidized degradation product. The molar absorptivities of both components at 237, 280 and 360 nm were also calculated. The method is based on the measurement of absorbance values at two wavelengths and the calculation of the concentrations of the two components in the mixture by solving for two simultaneous equations.