Development of a HPLC-UV Method for Determination of Meloxicam in Human Plasma and Pharmaceutical Dosage Forms

Objectives: A simple, quick and low cost HPLC-UV method for assay of meloxicam in plasma and pharmaceutical dosage forms was developed.
Methods: Separation and assay of meloxicam, using a simple reverse phase HPLC-UV method was achieved using an Agilent Zorbax SB C18 column, with methanol and 1% aqueous solution of glacial acetic acid as mobile phase. Elution was performed with composition gradient, meloxicam being detected at 355 nm with a 5 minutes analysis time. The method was tested on human plasma and pharmaceutical dosage forms.
Results: The retention time of the meloxicam was 3,7 minutes. Regression analysis showed good linearity, with correlation coefficient R= 0,9997; linear regression equation: y = 206,1x –77,5 over the 20-2000 ng/ml concentration range. Limit of detection was determined to be 5 ng/ml and limit of quantification was set at 15 ng/ml. The recovery of the analyte in human plasma was low: 30,50%, however it was reproducible, with a coefficient of variation of 4,83%. The analysis of the tablets resulted in a 85,82% of meloxicam compared to the declared concentration.
Conclusions: The method proposed is quick, simple and adequate for detecting the meloxicam in human plasma. Although the recovery rate was low, it was reproducible, which leads to the fact, that improving extraction procedure can optimize the method.