Determination of flucytosine in tablets by differential pulse polarography

A differential pulse polarographic assay was developed for determining flucytosine in tablets. The drug is extracted from the sample with water and hydrochloric acid and, after the pH is adjusted, an aliquot is added to the cell and the solution is polarographed at the dropping mercury electrode versus the saturated calomel electrode with 0.066 M Sørensen phosphate buffer (pH 5.6) as the supporting electrolyte. The polarographic peak height enables precise quantitative determination. The Ep value for flucytosine is--1.54 v versus the saturated calomel electrode. The mean recovery of the drug is 101.5% +/- 1.9 (SD). The method is simple, rapid, and precise.