Determination of carbamazepine by HPLC electrochemical detection and application for estimation of imipramine desipramine, doxepin and nordoxepin.

A simple analytical procedure for the estimation of carbamazepine in serum is presented. The procedure utilizes high pressure liquid chromatography with an electrochemical detection technique. The assay was also found applicable for the simultaneous separation of imipramine from desipramine or doxepin from nordoxepin. The procedure does not require the use of UV detection, is less time consuming and provides sensitivity at ng and microgram level for the tricyclic antidepressants studied and carbamazepine, respectively. This sensitivity is within the therapeutic range required for drug monitoring. The method is useful for the separation and quantitation of carbamazepine from imipramine and desipramine which is useful in cases where one of these drugs is given concurrently with carbamazepine.