A stability-indicating first-derivative spectrophotometric assay of acetazolamide and its use in dissolution and kinetic studies.

A simple, rapid, stability-indicating first-derivative spectrophotometric assay procedure for the determination of the degradation products of acetazolamide is described. The dissolution and kinetics of drug degradation in aqueous buffered solutions were studied using the proposed method. Acetazolamide solution exhibited optimum stability at pH 4. The influences of temperature and sonic energy on the degradation of acetazolamide in 0.01 M NaOH solution were also studied. The results showed first-order reaction kinetics, with a degradation rate constant and degradation half-life of 3.51 x 10(-3) day-1 and 8.23 days, respectively.