Objective: The aim of this study was to develop and validate two HPLC methods for the quantification of meloxicam and tenoxicam from transdermal therapeutic systems.
Methods: Based on 1.0% hydroxypropyl methylcellulose 15000, transdermal patches containing meloxicam or tenoxicam were prepared by solvent evaporation technique. Analytical performances of the HPLC methods for the quantification of meloxicam and tenoxicam from such systems were assessed in terms of specificity, linearity, detection limit, quantification limit, recovery and precision.
Results and discussion: The linearity of the method was assessed through a calibration curve in the 1.0 – 75.0 μg∙mL-¹ concentration range, with a regression coefficient higher than 0.999. The detection limit and the quantification limit were found to be 0.46 μg∙mL-¹ and 1.39 μg∙mL-¹, for meloxicam; and 0.88 μg∙mL-¹, respectively 2.64 μg∙mL-¹ for tenoxicam. According to the European Pharmacopeia 5.0 the mean recovery was found to be between 75% and 125%. As performance criteria for precision was used the RSD% which were lower than 2.0% for both methods.
Conclusions: The proposed liquid chromatography methods provide selective, linear and precise results for the quantification of meloxicam and tenoxicam from transdermal therapeutic systems. The presence of a single peak in the chromatograms of the analyzed transdermal patches with meloxicam or tenoxicam, certify the successful determination of the active pharmaceutical ingredient in the prepared patches.