Physical assessment and atomic absorption spectrophotometric analysis of cadmium and lead in twenty-five brands of ciprofloxacin tablets marketed in Lagos, Nigeria

Abstract

Ciprofloxacin is a second-generation broad-spectrum antibiotic of the fluoroquinolone class, highly effective against many bacteria.  Several brands of this drug class are marketed for public consumption; hence, it has placed the public in a confused state about the best  brands with suitable physical characteristics and safe oral consumption. Additionally, the adverse effects of heavy metal accumulation in drugs for oral use have made it essential to quantify the amount of such heavy metals present. Evaluating the physical quality, elemental  analysis identity, and concentration of cadmium and lead in twenty-five brands of ciprofloxacin tablets marketed in Lagos, Nigeria, is the  aim of this study. The physical assessment of the tablets was then methodologically evaluated for these parameters; Uniformity of weight, Hardness, Friability, and Disintegration tests. Determining the amount of Cadmium and Lead with the Atomic Absorption  Spectrophotometer (AAS) and evaluating using the Permitted Daily Exposure (PDE). Among all the brands of Ciprofloxacin tablets  analyzed, 96 % passed the Uniformity of weight test, 52 % passed the Hardness test, 96 % passed the Friability test, and 96 % passed the disintegration test while 2 % passed the test according to the Permitted Daily Exposure (PDE) to Cadmium. 72 % passed the test  according to the Permitted Daily Exposure (PDE) to Lead. The brands that passed the physical tests have good quality and correct  physical characteristics. Cadmium and lead are of no benefit to humanity in the body and because they are not easily eliminated from the  body, their buildup can put people at risk for mental retardation in children, dementia, kidney damage, nerve damage, infertility,  high blood pressure, and cancer at high exposure levels.