Electrochemical reduction of Metronidazole and its Determination in Pharmaceutical dosage forms using D.C. Polarography

A simple d.c. polarographic method has been developed for the determination of metronidazole in dosages forms. In Robinson - Britton buffer (pH 4.38) and in presence of 1.60 × 10^−3 % Triton X-100, the drug produced a well defined 4-electron polarographic wave followed by another wave of about half the height of the first wave. The current is proportional to the concentration and permits the drug to be determined by d.c. polarography in the concentration range 5.0 × 10^−5 -7.0 × 10^−4 M. Results obtained by the proposed method are in excellent agreement with that provided by the USP-XX method. A rapid, sensitive and accurate polarographic method for the determination of metronidazole in the tablets which are produced locally is proposed.