Chromatographic and permeation analysis of ciprofloxacin metal complexes

Aqueous solutions of ciprofloxacin and its metal complexes with Mg, Cu, Bi and Fe were investigated with the aim to characterize their retention and p ermeability properties with consequent complex stability evaluation. For th is purpose HPLC coupled with UV detector for ciprofloxacin and with atomic absorption spectrometer for metal ions detection was used. Determination of lipid barrier permeability was carried out using a Sartorius absorption ap paratus with the lipid-type of membrane. Under the applied experimental con ditions, no significant differences in retention and permeability propertie s were found, indicating the low stability of studied ciprofloxacin complex es in aqueous solutions. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved .