A Simple, Rapid, and Validated LC Method for the Estimation of Nimesulide in Human Serum and Its Application in Bioavailability Studies

Abstract

A new, simple, and rapid, sensitive reversed phase liquid chromatographic method was developed for the estimation of nimesulide in blood serum using a 60:40 mixture of acetonitrile and orthophosphoric acid (pH 3.0) as the mobile phase at 230 nm. The mobile phase and other chromatographic conditions were optimized to minimize interference from the serum matrix and at the same time provide sufficient sensitivity for the method to be adopted for in vivo studies of oral formulations of nimesulide. Acetonitrile was used to precipitate proteins from serum during sample preparation. Detector response was found to be linear in the region of 100–1000 ng/ml. The detection and quantitation limit, as per the error propagation theory, was found to be 50 ng/ml and 100 ng/ml, respectively. The linear equation obtained by the least square regression method was Area = 37.29 × Conc.(ng/ml)−1699.89 with a retention time of 3.97 ± 0.04 min. The results of the analysis were treated statistically, as per ICH guidelines for validation of analytical procedures, USP-2000. and by recovery studies. An internal standard was not employed in the method, as sample recoveries were in good agreement with their label claims. The results were found to be accurate, reproducible, and free from interference. The developed methods were further used for estimation of nimesulide for oral bioavailability of designed sustained release formulations of nimesulide.

Keywords:

• Human serum
• LC method
• nimesulide
• UV detection

The authors are thankful to IPCA Laboratories Mumbai, India for the generous gift samples of nimesulide.

Notes

^a Average of ten determinations with standard deviation.

^b Based on five sets of triplicate calibration values.

Y = Area under the curve. X = concentration of the drug in ng/ml