Spectrophotometric Method for Simultaneous Estimation of Nimesulide and Diclofenac Sodium in Pharmaceutical Dosage Forms

 

S. Rawat1* and Akhilesh Gupta2

1Shri Bhagwan College of Pharmacy, Aurangabad (M.S.)

2Kunwar Haribansh Singh College of Pharmacy, Jaunpur (U.P)

*Corresponding Author E-mail: swati_r@k.st

 

ABSTRACT:

A simple accurate spectrophotometric method has been developed for simultaneous estimation of nimesulide and diclofenac sodium. The method involves solving of simultaneous equation based on measurement of absorbance at two wavelengths i.e., at 276 nm and 395 nm.

 

KEYWORDS: Nimesulide, Diclofenac sodium, Simultaneous equation and UV spectrophotometry

 


INTRODUCTION:

Nimesulide is a COX-2 inhibitor1 and Diclofenac sodium is an   NSAID2, 3. Both are extensively used for the treatment of inflammatory conditions like osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis etc. The combination may be given to patients not responding to monotherapy. Spectrophotometric and HPLC methods4 have been reported for assay of diclofenac sodium while colorimetric5 spectrophotometric6-9 and flourimetric10    methods have been reported for nimesulide.

 

Simultaneous determination of nimesulide and diclofenac sodium by spectrophotometric method has not been reported so far. The present study illustrates a simple, accurate, economical and reproducible procedure for simultaneous spectrophotometric estimation of nimesulide and diclofenac sodium in two component soft capsule formulation

 

MATERIAL AND METHODS:

Material:

The drug was obtained from Dr Reddy’s Pharmaceuticals (India), UV visible spectrophotometer Chemito 2100 model (India), solvents used are phosphate buffer pH 7.2, Methanol. (Analytical grade).

 

Procedure:

The standard curve was determined for each of the drug independently. Accurately weighed nimesulide (10mg) was dissolved in 10 ml methanol and further diluted to get a stock solution of 100 µg/ml. This solution was diluted further to give standard concentrations of 2,4,6,8 and 10 µg/ml. Absorbances of these solutions were measured at 276 and 395 nm. The absorptivities for the two drugs are presented in table I. The optical characteristics and regression equations for the calibration curves are presented in table II.

 

The method employed simultaneous equation using Cramer’s rule and matrices. A set of two simultaneous equations was framed using the absorptivity coefficient values as given below:

 

A1=21.21XC1-83.86 XC2                    (I)

A2=53.164XC1-2.336XC2                    (II)

 

Where C1 and C2 are concentration of nimesulide and diclofenac sodium respectively in gms / litre in the sample solution. A 1 and A2 are the absorbance of the sample solutions measured at 276 and 395 nm respectively. 21.21 and 83.86 are the absorptivities at 276nm while 53.164 and 2.336 are the absorptivities at 395 nm of nimesulide and diclofenac sodium respectively.

 

 


Table 1: Absorptivity values for Nimesulide and Diclofenac Sodium

Sr. No.

Concentration (µg/ml.  )

Absorptivity at 276 nm.

Absorptivity at 395 nm.

NIM

DIC

NIM

DIC

NIM

DIC

1

2

2

21.50

84.50

53.46

2.52

2

4

4

21.51

84.32

53.31

2.28

3

6

6

21.21

83.95

53.14

2.16

4

8

8

21.01

83.65

53.01

2.75

5

10

10

20.86

82.92

52.9

1.97

Mean

-

-

21.21

83.86

53.164

2.336

S.D.

-

-

0.114

0.248

0.089

0.121

n=3 ,        NIM= Nimesulide,     DIC= Diclofenac sodium.

 

Table 2: Optical Characteristics and regression equation

Sr. No.

Parameters

Values

NIM

DIC

1

lmax

395

276

2

Beer’s Law limits (µg/ml.)

0-15

0-15

3

Molar Absorptivity

1.724 X 104

2.637 X 104

4

Sandell’s sensitivity

1.937 X 10-4

1.242 X 10-4

5

Regression Equation

Slope

0.0524

0.0819

Intercept

0.05

0.015

Correlation Coefficient

0.999

0.999

n=3         NIM= Nimesulide,     DIC= Diclofenac sodium.

 

Table 3: Analysis Data of Tablet formulations

Sr. No.

Tablet sample

Level claim mg/tab

Amount found mg/tab

% of level claim

S.D.

C.O.V.%

1.

Brand A

NIM

DIC

 

100    

50

 

98.3  

48.7

 

98.2   

97.4

 

0.75   0.80

 

0.765 

0.82

2.

Brand B

NIM

DIC

 

100    

50

 

99.2   

49.2

 

99.2    

98.4

 

0.62  0.85

 

0.62   

0.86

n=3         NIM= Nimesulide,     DIC= Diclofenac sodium.

 

Table 4: Recovery studies

Sr. No.

Concentration of added drug to final solution. (µg/ml.)

% Recovery

Sample A

Sample B

NIM

DIC

NIM

DIC

NIM

DIC

1.

1

1

99.5

100.1

99.4

98.9

2.

2

2

99.2

99.8

98.7

98.2

n=3         NIM= Nimesulide,     DIC= Diclofenac sodium.

 

 


By applying the Cramer’s rule and matrices to equation (I) and (II), concentration C1 and C2 can be obtained as –

 

C1= A2 X 83.86- A1 X 2.336                           (III)

                       4408.79

 

C2= A1 X 53.164- A2 X 21.21                         (IV)

                       4408.79

 

Preparation and Analysis of tablet sample solution:

Ten soft capsules were weighed contents containing drug equivalent to 100mg of nimesulide and 50 mg of diclofenac sodium were emptied into a stoppered volumetric flask 20 ml of methanol added to it, sonicated for 20 min.  and the rest of the volume was then made up with phosphate buffer. The solution was further diluted to give 10 µg/ml of   nimesulide and 5µg/ml of diclofenac sodium. Then absorbances of sample solutions were recorded at 276 nm and 395 nm as A1 and A2 respectively and concentration of the two drugs in sample were determined using equation (III) and (IV). The analysis was carried out in triplicate for soft capsule formulation of two different manufacturers. The results of analysis of capsule formulations are shown in table III.

 

Recovery studies:

To study the accuracy, reproducibility and precision of the proposed method, recovery studies were carried out by addition of standard drug solution to preanalysed sample. Results of recovery studies were found to be satisfactory and are presented in table IV.

 

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION:

The proposed method for simultaneous estimation of nimesulide and diclofenac sodium in combined dosage forms was found to be simple, accurate, economical and rapid. The values of coefficient of variation were satisfactory low and recoveries were closed to 100% for both the drugs.

 

The method employs solving of simultaneous equations. Once the equations are determined analysis requires only the measuring of the absorbance of the sample solution at the two wavelengths selected, followed by a few simple calculations.

 

The proposed method is fast accurate and precise for the determination of nimesulide and diclofenac sodium in combined soft capsule formulations. Hence, it can be employed for routine analysis in Quality Control Laboratories.

 

REFERENCES:

1.       Singla, A. K., Chawla, M., Singh, A., J. Pharm. Pharmacol; 2000, 52, 467.

2.       Brogden, R. N., et al. Drugs, 1980, 20.

3.       Martindale ,The Extra Pharmacopoeia , 31st Edn, Royal Pharmaceutical Society London, 1996, 250

4.       The Indian Pharmacopoeia, Govt. Of India, Ministry of Health, Controller of publications, New Delhi, 3rd Edn, 1996, 242.

5.       Reddy, M., N., Sasira Reddy, K., Gouri Shankar, Ind. J. Pharm. Sci, 1998,172.

6.       Chowdhary, K.P.R., Rao, G., The Eastern Pharmacist, 1999, 4,117.

7.       Nagojo, K.E., Rao, S.S., The Eastern Pharmacist, 1997, 4, 117.

8.       Rajput, Randine, G., The Eastern Pharmacist, 1997, 40,113.

9.       Manna,A., Ghosh ,I..,Ghosh , L.K., The Eastern Pharmacist,  1999,5,101.

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Received on 09.09.2011       Accepted on 18.10.2011     

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Asian J. Pharm. Ana. 1(4): Oct. - Dec. 2011; Page 85-87