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Original Article
SIMULTANEOUS DETERMINATION OF NAPROXEN SODIUM AND ACETAMINOPHEN IN FIXEDDOSE COMBINATIONS FORMULATIONS BY FIRST-ORDER DERIVATIVE SPECTROSCOPY:
APPLICATION TO DISSOLUTION STUDIES
JOS RAL MEDINA*, CARLOS ALFONSO LPEZ-TABLEROS, GERARDO HERNNDEZ-ALTAMIRANO, GEORGINA
ALARCN-NGELES, MARCELA HURTADO, ADRIANA MIRIAM DOMNGUEZ-RAMREZ
Departamento de Sistemas Biolgicos, Universidad Autnoma Metropolitana-Xochimilco, Mexico DF, Mexico.
Email: rmlopez@correo.xoc.uam.mx
Received: 27 Feb 2015 Revised and Accepted: 22 Mar 2015
ABSTRACT
Objective: To validate and apply a new and easy zero-crossing derivative method for the simultaneous determination of naproxen sodium and
acetaminophen in fixed-dose combinations formulations.
Methods: Measurement was achieved using the first-derivative (1D) signals at 243.42 nm for naproxen sodium and at 297.10 nm for
acetaminophen. The method was validated according to International Conference on Harmonization (ICH) guidelines and was used to obtain the
dissolution profiles (USP Apparatus 2, 75 rpm and 900 ml of 0.1 M phosphate buffer pH 7.4) of five generic products and the reference product
Febrax (275/300 mg of naproxen sodium and acetaminophen, respectively). Dissolution data: percent of drug dissolved at 60 min, mean
dissolution time (MDT) and dissolution efficiency (DE) were compared by a univariate one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) followed by Dunnetts
multiple comparisons test. Differences were considered significant if *P<0.05. Additionally, data were adjusted to different kinetic models.
Results: The method was linear (R2>0.99, *P<0.05) in the range of 1050 g/ml and 100300 g/ml for naproxen sodium and acetaminophen,
respectively. The within-day and between-day precision and accuracy were within the acceptable criteria (relative standard deviation (RSD)<3%
and 1003%). Significant differences in MDT and DE values from all studies products were found (*P<0.05). All dissolution profiles were adjusted to
Weibulls kinetics and significant differences in Td values were found (*P<0.05).
Conclusion: The proposed derivative spectrophotometry method can be used for the simultaneous determination of naproxen sodium and
acetaminophen in dissolution studies. The method is rapid, simple, accurate, and precise without the need of high cost investment.
Keywords: Naproxen sodium, Acetaminophen, First-order derivative spectroscopy, Zero-crossing method, Fixed-dose combinations formulations.
INTRODUCTION
Naproxen sodium [(S)-6-Methoxy--methyl-2-naphthaleneacetic acid
sodium salt] is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) used in
pain treatment, fever and inflammation caused by migraine, rheumatoid
arthritis and degenerative joint diseases. It is also used for the primary
dysmenorrheal, fig. 1. Due to poor solubility of naproxen (weak acid with
pka = 4.15) naproxen sodium is prepared to enhance the dissolution
properties of naproxen. According to Biopharmaceutical Classification
System (BCS) drugs with low solubility/high permeability belong to
Class II drugs [1]. For this kind of drugs, dissolution is the rate-limiting
step for absorption and a significant in vitro/in vivo correlation (IVIVC) is
expected. Acetaminophen, also named as paracetamol [N-Acetyl-paminophenol], is an effective and safe analgesic-antipyretic drug widely
used for the relief of mild to moderate pain, fig. 1. Acetaminophen is a
Class III drug [2] with high solubility/low permeability and by the
previously reported information there is a monograph that suggests the
waiver of bioequivalence studies by in vitro dissolution studies [3]. The
combination of naproxen sodium and acetaminophen (as fixed-dose
combinations formulations) is widely used as over-the-counter products
and it is used for the treatment of symptomatic pain and fever.
In vitro dissolution studies are useful to assess the lot-to-lot quality
of pharmaceutical formulations, changes in their manufacturing
process and prediction of in vivo performance of some drugs. United
States (US) Pharmacopeia describes by separate the in vitro
dissolution test for naproxen sodium and acetaminophen tablets [4]
but to date, no official dissolution method is described for naproxen
sodium and acetaminophen in fixed-dose combinations formulations
[5]. The development of fixed-dose combinations products is
becoming increasingly from a public health perspective and has
advantages when all the actives contribute to the overall therapeutic
effect. Dissolution studies for this kind of formulations are data
required for approval of fixed-dose combinations [6].
Medina et al.
Materials
Content uniformity and assay tests were performed by HPLC with all
fixed-dose combinations formulations, according the procedures
described by Singh et al. [9].
Standard solutions
Instruments
Stability
Product
R
A
B
C
D
E
Drug
N
A
N
A
N
A
N
A
N
A
N
A
Assay (%)
100.44
101.05
102.15
100.34
102.96
99.61
101.47
99.83
102.64
101.87
101.65
98.12
184
Medina et al.
nm using 0.1 M phosphate buffer pH 7.4 as blank, fig. 2a. The zeroorder spectra demonstrated a marked overlapping. As a result,
simultaneous direct spectroscopy determination of naproxen
sodium and acetaminophen in fixed-dose combination products was
not possible. Then, the 1D spectra of these solutions was obtained,
fig. 2b. As seen in fig. 2b, the 1D spectra of naproxen sodium revealed
six zero-crossing points for acetaminophen determination (230.51,
253.29, 262.41, 266.96, 271.27 and 297.10 nm) and the 1D spectra of
acetaminophen revealed two zero-crossing points for naproxen
determination (216.46 and 243.42 nm).
spectrophotometric method
Table 2: Accuracy and precision data for simultaneous determination of N and A by first-order derivative spectroscopy. MeanSD
Drug/dose (mg)
N/275
A/300
Added (mg)
221.29
277.27
330.86
241.20
299.81
360.23
Within-day (n = 3)
Found (mg)
221.791.98
279.022.25
333.184.01
240.101.98
301.038.56
360.533.73
RSD (%)
0.89
0.81
1.20
0.82
2.84
1.04
RE (%)
0.23
0.63
0.70
0.46
0.41
0.08
Between-day (n = 9)
Found (mg)
221.092.57
278.133.22
335.174.14
237.304.63
303.255.80
359.127.08
RSD (%)
1.16
1.84
1.23
1.95
1.91
1.97
RE (%)
0.09
0.49
1.20
1.50
1.03
0.52
185
Medina et al.
Table 3: Absolute difference (%) respect zero time to evaluate stability at 4C of N and A in 0.1 M phosphate buffer pH 7.4. Mean, n = 6
Drug
N
Conc. (g/ml)
15
45
140
260
24 h
3.73
2.84
0.96
0.29
48 h
7.54
8.08
4.16
4.46
Table 4: Percentage dissolved at 60 min and dissolution parameters MDT and DE. MeanSEM, n = 12. *P<0.05
Drug
N
Product
R
A
B
C
D
E
R
A
B
C
D
E
% Diss. at 60 min
100.560.82
107.141.09*
100.520.90
102.611.59
102.261.44
102.510.57
96.350.69
100.901.45
96.201.43
97.980.40
100.050.76*
97.140.82
MDT (min)
18.920.26
10.670.33*
15.690.34*
9.640.39*
16.130.24*
9.590.23*
21.120.45
12.770.27*
16.570.29*
9.910.36*
19.790.27*
10.610.27*
DE (%)
68.860.74
88.040.63*
74.220.74*
86.050.93*
84.084.13*
90.002.78*
62.440.90
79.441.30*
69.681.37
81.790.63*
79.514.29*
82.503.52*
186
Medina et al.
Model-independent comparisons
Model-dependent comparisons
Table 5: Criteria used for the selection of the best kinetic model. Mean, n = 12
Product
First-order
R2 adjusted
naproxen sodium
R
0.9950
A
0.9796
B
0.9902
C
0.9890
D
0.9578
E
0.9900
acetaminophen
R
0.9920
A
0.9890
B
0.9819
C
0.9771
D
0.9335
E
0.9921
AIC
naproxen sodium
R
14.82
A
18.22
B
16.11
C
11.88
D
24.53
E
9.60
acetaminophen
R
18.35
A
16.06
B
21.33
C
13.23
D
29.45
E
12.80
Higuchi
Korsmeyer-Peppas
Hixson-Crowell
Makoid-Banakar
Weibull
0.9474
0.5752
0.8707
0.4246
0.8819
0.5439
0.9786
0.9419
0.9621
0.9857
0.9092
0.9657
0.9933
0.9695
0.9913
0.9889
0.9756
0.9855
0.9975
0.9695
0.9913
0.9889
0.9756
0.9855
0.9969
0.9825
0.9933
0.9891
0.9692
0.9904
27.45
34.74
30.53
34.51
31.28
32.54
22.68
24.34
24.48
9.68
29.87
17.56
14.70
28.08
17.14
30.22
23.92
29.13
16.85
16.17
15.01
3.15
22.06
9.80
12.20
17.05
14.41
3.34
20.43
6.17
0.9636
0.6596
0.8909
0.4551
0.8816
0.5592
26.15
34.83
30.34
33.96
33.63
33.77
0.9711
0.9604
0.9433
0.9774
0.8779
0.9644
0.9953
0.9557
0.9801
0.8724
0.9630
0.9403
25.30
23.16
27.46
14.77
33.42
20.76
0.9979
0.9777
0.9926
0.9703
0.9558
0.9823
15.50
22.99
21.49
25.44
25.99
22.80
10.58
18.39
14.26
9.91
27.29
13.97
0.9971
0.9914
0.9985
0.9830
0.9786
0.9942
13.28
14.94
6.16
22.15
23.22
11.24
Table 6: Weibulls parameters and Td values derived from the data adjusted to this kinetic model. Mean, n = 12. *P<0.05
Drug
N
Product
R
A
B
C
D
E
R
A
B
C
D
E
43.33
27.16
36.83
98.24
52.95
15.22
116.75
49.69
59.48
432.23
638.64
24.36
1.19
1.29
1.26
1.74
1.35
1.17
1.47
1.43
1.37
1.91
2.02
1.32
F max
105.73
107.93
101.86
101.93
104.58
102.75
99.96
100.58
98.07
97.29
99.77
97.23
Td (SEM)
22.550.55
11.360.28*
17.220.46*
10.040.36*
18.060.28*
9.460.27*
25.050.70
13.430.31*
18.920.44*
10.160.29*
22.130.18*
11.100.23*
187
Medina et al.
Declared None
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