Simultaneous voltammetric sensing of levodopa, piroxicam, ofloxacin and methocarbamol using a carbon paste electrode modified with graphite oxide and ß-cyclodextrin.

A carbon paste electrode (CPE) was modified with graphite oxide (GrO) and ß-cyclodextrin (CD) to obtain a sensor for simultaneous voltammetric determination of levodopa (LD), piroxicam (PRX), ofloxacin (OFX) and methocarbamol (MCB). The morphology, structure and electrochemical properties of the functionalized GrO were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, contact angle measurements and cyclic voltammetry. Under the optimal experimental conditions, the sensor is capable of detecting LD, PRX, OFX and MCB by square wave voltammetry (SWV) at working potentials of +0.40, +0.60, +1.03 and + 1.27 V (versus Ag/AgCl), respectively. Response is linear from 1.0 to 20 µM for LD, from 1.0 to 15 µM for PRX, from 1.0 to 20 µM for OFX, and from 1.0 to 50 µM for MCB. The respective limits of detection are 65, 105, 89 and 400 nM. The method was successfully applied to the simultaneous determination of LD, PRX, OFX and MCB in (spiked) real river water and synthetic urine samples, and the results were in agreement with those obtained using a spectrophotometric method, with recoveries close to 100%. Graphical abstract Schematic presentation of a novel electroanalytical method employing a carbon paste electrode modified with graphite oxide and ß-cyclodextrin for the simultaneous determination of levodopa, piroxicam, ofloxacin and methocarbamol in urine and river water samples by square wave voltammetry.

Determination of methocarbamol in equine serum and urine by high-performance liquid chromatography with ultraviolet detection and atmospheric pressure ionization-mass spectrometric confirmation.

Urine and serum samples collected from four standard-bred mares after and oral regimen administration of methocarbamol were extracted and analyzed. The method consisted of enzyme hydrolysis followed by a one-step liquid-liquid extraction, separation on a reversed-phase (RP-18) column, and detection using an ultraviolet (UV) detector. The confirmation was carried out using a liquid chromatography-atmospheric pressure ionization-mass spectrometry (LC-API-MS) system. Maximum methocarbamol concentrations of 1498, 1734, 1547, 2322 micrograms/mL in urine and 4.9, 1.7, and 3.6 micrograms/mL in serum were observed. The peak concentrations of the drug were detected 1-4 h (urine) and 10-60 min (serum) after administration to four horses. The method validation results and drug elimination profiles for both urine and serum are presented and discussed.

High-performance liquid chromatographic analysis of methocarbamol enantiomers in biological fluids.

Methocarbamol enantiomers in rat and human plasma were quantified using a stereospecific high-performance liquid chromatographic method. Racemic methocarbamol and internal standard, (R)-(-)-flecainide, were isolated from plasma by a single-step extraction with ethyl acetate. After derivatization with the enantiomerically pure reagent (S)-(+)-1-(1-naphthyl)ethyl isocyanate, methocarbamol diastereomers and the (R)-flecainide derivative were separated on a normal-phase silica column with a mobile phase consisting of hexane-isopropanol (95:5, v/v) at a flow-rate of 1.6 ml/min. Ultraviolet detection was carried out at a wavelength of 280 nm. The resolution factor between the diastereomers was 2.1 (alpha = 1.24). An excellent linearity was observed between the methocarbamol diastereomers/internal standard derivative peak-area ratios and plasma concentrations, and the intra- and inter-day coefficients of variation were always < 9.8%. The lowest quantifiable concentration was 0.5 microgram/ml for each enantiomer (coefficients of variation of 9.8 and 8.8% for (S)- and (R)-methocarbamol, respectively), while the limit of detection (signal-to-noise ratio 3:1) was approximately 10 ng/ml. The assay was used to study the pharmacokinetics of methocarbamol enantiomers in a rat following intravenous administration of a 120 mg/kg dose of racemic methocarbamol and to evaluate plasma and urine concentrations in a human volunteer after oral administration of a 1000-mg dose of the racemate. The method is suitable for stereoselective pharmacokinetic studies in humans as well as in animal models.