High-throughput method for the analysis of venlafaxine in pharmaceutical formulations and biological fluids, using a tris(2,2'-bipyridyl) ruthenium(II)-peroxydisulphate chemiluminescence system in a two-chip device.

A simple, rapid and sensitive chemiluminescent (CL) method for the assay of venlafaxine (VEN) in pharmaceutical formulations and serum samples by a two-chip device is proposed. The method is based on the reaction of this drug with a tris(2,2'-bipyridyl) ruthenium(II)-peroxydisulphate CL system. The optimum chemical conditions for CL emission were investigated. The calibration graph was linear for the concentration range 0.02-8.0 µg/mL. The detection and quantification limits were found to be 0.006 and 0.018 µg/mL, respectively, while the relative standard deviation (RSD) was <2.0%. The present CL procedure was applied to the determination of VEN in pharmaceutical formulations and serum samples; the recovery levels were in the range 96.5-101.2%. The results suggest that the method is unaffected by the presence of common formulation excipients found in these samples.