Validated spectrofluorimetric method for the determination of carbamazepine in pharmaceutical dosage forms after reaction with 4-chloro-7--nitrobenzo-2-oxa-1,3-diazole (NBD-Cl).

A sensitive and simple spectrofluorimetric method has been developed and validated for the determination of the anti-epileptic drug carbamazepine (CBZ) in its dosage forms. The method was based on a nucleophilic substitution reaction of CBZ with 4-chloro-7-nitrobenzo-2-oxa-1,3-diazole (NBD-Cl) in borate buffer (pH 9) to form a highly fluorescent derivative that was measured at 530 nm after excitation at 460 nm. Factors affecting the formation of the reaction product were studied and optimized, and the reaction mechanism was postulated.