Kinetics and mechanisms of vinpocetine degradation in aqueous solutions

Under stressed conditions, vinpocetine (1; ethyl apovincamin-22-oate) equilibrates with vincaminic acid ethyl ester (2) and 14-epivincaminic acid ethyl ester (3), and hydrolyzes to apovincaminic acid (4). Sequentially, 2 is equilibrated with 14-epivincaminic acid ethyl ester (3) and hydrolyzes to vincaminic acid (5), which equilibrates with 4 and 14-epivincaminic acid (6). At acidic pH, the major route of degradation is 1 in equilibrium 2----5. However, at neutral pH, the major route of degradation is 1----4 in equilibrium 5. The kinetics for the degradation of 1 in the pH 1-3 region is represented by a consecutive reaction with a reversible step (second-order), but the degradation of 1 in the pH 3.5-6.0 region follows pseudo first-order kinetics. Significant buffer catalysis is observed with acetate and phosphate buffers. Reactions are dependent on the ionic strength, pH, and temperature. No oxygen effect on the degradation of vinpocetine is found.