Three Decades of Glimepiride Analysis: A Review of Analytical and Bioanalytical Methods

Glimepiride, a third-generation sulfonylurea, is widely prescribed for the management of Type 2 diabetes mellitus. Since its introduction, numerous analytical and bioanalytical methods have been reported. However, the available information is scattered across the literature and lacks a consolidated evaluation of the analytical strategies developed over time. The published methods predominantly address either analytical or bioanalytical approaches individually; however, no single review comprehensively encompasses both domains. Therefore, this review seeks to bridge that gap by offering an integrated perspective, benefiting researchers and professionals working in pharmaceutical analysis as well as bioanalysis. The present review summarizes research published between 1995 and 2025 on quantification of glimepiride, including methods for its estimation alone and in combination with coadministered antidiabetic and related drugs. A literature search was performed using major scientific databases including Scopus, PubMed, ScienceDirect, Web of Science and Google Scholar. The reviewed analytical strategies encompass bulk drugs, dosage forms, impurity profiling and stability studies. In addition, bioanalytical applications related to pharmacokinetic, pharmacodynamic and bioequivalence studies are discussed. This review provides an organized summary of analytical developments for glimepiride fills notable gap and serves as a valuable reference for pharmaceutical analysts in method selection, method development and quality control studies involving this drug.