POLAROGRAPHIC-DETERMINATION OF LORATADINE IN PHARMACEUTICAL PREPARATIONS

Loratadine, a potent antihistamine drug, is not directly electroreduci ble at a dropping mercury electrode; however, by means of a nitration procedure it is possible to obtain a nitro-loratadine derivative which has been identified as yclohepta-[1,2-b]-pyridin-11-ylidene)-1-piperi dine carboxylic acid ethyl ester. The electrochemical reduction of thi s derivative at different pHs and concentrations using polarography an d cyclic voltammetry was studied. The derivative exhibits a differenti al pulse polarographic peak due to the reduction of the nitro group. T his peak was used in order to develop an analytical procedure for dete rmining loratadine in pharmaceutical dosage forms. The recovery study shows adequate accuracy and precision for the developed assay and the excipients do not interfere in the determination.