The natural diatomite from caldiran-van (Turkey): electroanalytical application to antimigraine compound naratriptan at modified carbon paste electrode.

This paper is the first report describing the characterization of local diatomite of Caldiran-Van region (Eastern Anatolia, Turkey). Special attention was paid to the ability of its electroanalytical performance at modified electrodes and to the potential application of diatomite-modified electrode. For this purpose, the determination of Naratriptan which is a novel oral triptan (5-hydroxytryptamine receptor agonist) in migraine treatment, by means of a carbon paste electrode modified with 10% (w/w) of diatomite was studied using cyclic and square-wave voltammetry. The experimental conditions that affect the electrode reaction process were studied in terms of pH of the supporting electrolyte, scan rate, accumulation variables, modifier composition and square-wave parameters. Using square-wave stripping mode, the drug yielded a well-defined voltammetric response in Britton-Robinson buffer, pH 4.0 at 0.84 V (vs. Ag/AgCl) (a pre-concentration step being carried out with an open circuit at 120 s). The process could be used to determine Naratriptan concentrations in the range 5x10(-7)-9x10(-7) M, with a detection limit of 1.25x10(-7) M (46.5 mug L(-1)). The applicability of the method to spiked human urine samples was illustrated.