Chronic constipation is a common gastrointestinal disorder with complex pathophysiology and diverse treatment options. Prucalopride, a highly selective serotonin 5-HT4 receptor agonist, has emerged as a novel enterokinetic therapy for managing chronic idiopathic constipation (CIC). Unlike earlier serotonergic prokinetic agents, prucalopride exhibits high receptor selectivity, minimizing interactions with other receptor systems and reducing the risk of adverse effects. Its mechanism of action involves enhancing colonic motility by stimulating acetylcholine release from enteric neurons, thereby facilitating bowel movements. Various analytical methods, including UV spectrophotometry, high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), and ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC), have been employed for its quantification in pharmaceutical and biological matrices. The development and validation of these methods ensure accurate drug estimation, supporting its clinical and pharmaceutical applications. This review provides a comprehensive overview of various analytical techniques employed for prucalopride analysis, including ultraviolet (UV) spectroscopy, high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), and ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC). The comparative assessment of these techniques highlights the significance of advanced chromatographic methods, particularly UHPLC, for enhanced resolution and reduced analysis time. This review serves as a valuable resource for researchers and analysts in the pharmaceutical and biomedical fields, aiding in the selection of appropriate analytical methodologies for prucalopride determination.
Pawar et al. (Sat,) studied this question.