An unmodified boron-doped diamond electrode for electroanalytical investigation and sensitive voltammetric quantification of antiviral drug famciclovir in the pharmaceutical formulation and serum samples

The current study offers an electroanalytical investigation and a novel voltammetric approach for the quantitative analysis of famciclovir (FCV) utilizing an unmodified boron-doped diamond (BDD) electrode. An irreversible, well-defined, diffusion-controlled anodic peak was observed at approximately +1.27 V (vs. Ag/AgCl) in acetate buffer solution (ABS, 0.1 mol L−1, pH 4.7) when the agent was tested using cyclic voltammetry. The voltammetric signals of the oxidation peaks are pH dependent (ranging from 2.0 to 7.0). Using square-wave mode, a good linear response was obtained for FCV quantification in 0.1 mol L−1 ABS (pH 4.7) solution at +1.26 V (vs. Ag/AgCl). Wide dynamic range was found for 0.1 to 50.0 μg mL−1 (3.11 × 10−7-1.56 × 10−4 mol L−1), with a low detection limit of 0.029 μg mL−1 (9.02 × 10−8 mol L−1). Applicability of the proposed method for the determination of FCV was demonstrated in the pharmaceutical formulation and model serum samples. [Display omitted] •A Square-wave voltammetric technique was used for quantification of famciclovir (FCV).•An unmodified boron-doped diamond electrode was used as working electrode.•The developed method is fast, simple, sensitive and precise.•The proposed approach was tested in the pharmaceutical formulation of FCV.