A sensitive colorimetric method for the determination of imipramine hydrochloride and desipramine hydrochloride.

A simple and rapid colorimetric method for the determination of imipramine hydrochloride and desipramine hydrochloride in their tablet formulations and in biological fluids is presented. The method is based on the reaction of these drugs with 3-methyl-2-benzothiazolone hydrazone in the presence of ferric chloride, with direct measurement at 635 nm. Cyclohexane was used to extract these drugs from serum and urine, at basic pH, by a single manual extraction. The method can detect 0.5 microgram/ml of each drug. The main advantages of this method are its simplicity and high sensitivity.