High-Performance Liquid Chromatography for Determining a Mixture of Nonsteroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs

Abstract: Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), which block the activity of cyclooxygenase (COX) isoenzymes and inhibit the synthesis of prostaglandin, have been used for pain relief. For the enhancement of the potency or the decrease of side-effects, NSAIDs are normally prescribed as a mixture with other chemical components including caffeine and proton pump inhibitor. Here, we developed a method to separate a mixture of three NSAIDs, such as aspirin, paracetamol, and naproxen, using reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC). An isocratic mobile phase consisting of acidic water and acetonitrile was selected to run at a low flow rate, such as 0.8 mL/min. The mixture of three NSAIDs was injected at a low volume into a C18 column having 150 mm in length and characterized using a UV detector at 230 nm. We identified three peaks in the chromatogram indicating three compounds. The elution time of the peaks was less than 10 min. The method proposed here can be used for identification of the combination of NSAIDs. Graphic Abstract: [Figure not available: see fulltext.]