Simultaneous determination of Ketorolac tromethamine and Fluorometholone in Eye drops by spectrophotometry

 

Mukthinuthalapati Mathrusri Annapurna*, Vellanki S. V. Sevyatha, Malineni Sushmitha

Department of Pharmaceutical Analysis and Quality Assurance, GITAM Institute of Pharmacy, GITAM University, Visakhapatnam-530045, India

*Corresponding Author E-mail: mathrusri2000@yahoo.com

 

ABSTRACT:

Four simple spectrophotometric methods have been developed for the simultaneous determination of Fluorometholone and Ketorolac tromethamine in ophthalmic preparations. Simultaneous equation method, absorbance ratio method (Q – Analysis), first derivative method and multicomponent mode of analytical techniques were selected for the determination of Fluorometholone and Ketorolac tromethamine in phosphate buffer (pH 2.0) solution. Fluorometholone and Ketorolac tromethamine has followed linearity over the concentration range 0.1-20 µg/mL and 1-20 µg/mL respectively. The methods were validated and applied for the simultaneous determination of Fluorometholone and Ketorolac tromethamine in the available pharmaceutical formulations i.e. eye drops.

 

KEYWORDS:  Fluorometholone, Ketorolac tromethamine, Spectrophotometry, Simultaneous equation method, Simultaneous derivative, Multicomponent analysis, Q-Analysis, Validation.

 

 

 

INTRODUCTION:

Ketorolac tromethamine1 (CAS No. 74103-06-3) chemically known as (±)-5-benzoyl-2,3-dihydro-1H-pyrrolizine-1-carboxylic acid (C15H13NO3)with molecular weight 255.27 g/mol. is freely soluble in methanol. An ophthalmic solution of Ketorolac is available and is used to treat eye pain and to relieve the itchiness and burning of seasonal allergies. The primary mechanism of action responsible for Ketorolac's anti-inflammatory, antipyretic and analgesic effects is the inhibition of prostaglandin synthesis by competitive blocking of the enzyme cyclooxygenase (COX). Ketorolac tromethamine (KT) is a non-selective COX inhibitor (Fig 1).

 

Fluorometholone (CAS No. 426-13-1) is chemically 6α-methyl-9α-fluoro-11β,17α-dihydroxypregna-1,4-diene-3,20-dione (C22H29FO4) with molecular weight 376.462 g/mol (Fig 2). It is used in the treatment of steroid-responsive inflammatory conditions of the palpebral and bulbar conjunctiva, cornea, and anterior segment of the eye. Fluorometholone is available with brand names Flurisone, FML Forte, FML. Very few spectrophotometric2 and liquid chromatographic methods3 are available in the literature for the simultaneous determination of FLM and KT. The authors have proposed four spectrophotometric methods for the simultaneous determination of Fluorometholone and Ketorolac tromethaminein ophthalmic preparations and the methods are validated4.

[A]

 

 

[B]

Fig 1: Structures of Fluorometholone (FLM) [A] Ketorolac tromethamine (KT) [B]

 

MATERIALS AND METHODS:

Chemicals and reagents:

Stock solutions of both Fluorometholone and Ketorolac tromethamine were prepared in methanol and dilutions were made with phosphate buffer (pH 2.0). The combination of Fluorometholone and Ketorolac tromethamine is available with brand name Eyetrust (Neiss labs Ltd, Mumbai) as eye drops containing Fluorometholone 0.1% and Ketorolac tromethamine 0.5%.

 

Instrumentation:

UV-1800 double beam UV-VIS spectrophotometer (Shimadzu) with a pair of 10mm path length matched quartz cells is used for the study. All the solutions were scanned 200-400 nm with medium scanning speed.

 

General procedure:

Four spectrophotometric methods - simultaneous equation method (Method A), absorbance ratio method / Q-Analysis (Method B), first derivative method (D1) (Method C) and multicomponent mode (Method D)were developed for the simultaneous determination of Fluorometholone and Ketorolac tromethamine.

 

Method A:

Simultaneous equation method:

Adequate dilute solutions of Fluorometholone and Ketorolac tromethamine were prepared from their stock solutions separately with phosphate buffer and scanned in UV region (200-400 nm) as their solutions were colorless. The absorption spectra so obtained shows λmax at 241 nm for Fluorometholone and323 nm for Ketorolac tromethamine. These two wavelengths were selected for the simultaneous equation method. The absorptivity (ε) values were calculated from their individual spectra and incorporated in simultaneous equation from which individual concentrations of Fluorometholone and Ketorolac tromethamine were determined.

 

Method B:

Absorbance ratio method (Q-Analysis):

For this method, one of the λmax of the drugs and an isosbestic point are required and the absorbance at these two wavelengths were determined from their individual spectra and the absorptivity (ε) values were calculated. These ε values are incorporated in the equation and the individual concentrations of Fluorometholone and Ketorolac tromethamine were determined. Fluorometholone has shown λmax at 241 nm and Ketorolac tromethamine at 323 nm and two isosbestic (iso-absorptive) points were observed at 214.63 and 279.34 nm in the overlay spectra of Fluorometholone and Ketorolac tromethamine. For the present Q-analysis method, the two wavelengths 323 nm (λmaxKT) and 214.63 nm were selected and the individual concentrations of Fluorometholone and Ketorolac tromethamine were determined from the equation.

 

Method C:

Simultaneous first derivative method (D1):

The individual zero order absorption spectra of Fluorometholone and Ketorolac tromethamine were converted in to their first order derivative spectra with the help of inbuilt software. The first order derivative spectra of FLM shows zero crossing points at 214.99, 241.68 and 305.67 nm and that of Ketorolac tromethamine at 228.52, 249.38, 271.66 and 322.85 nm. FLM can be quantified from the maxima observed at 228.52 nm (zero crossing point of KT) whereas KT can be quantified from the maxima observed at 305.67 nm (zero crossing point of FLM).

 

Method D:

Multicomponent mode:

In this multicomponent mode method FLM an KT were mixed in different ratios (>3) and the instrument scan (200-400 nm) the solutions with the inbuilt software and finally the concentration of the individual components i.e. FLM and KT were given directly for the unknown combination of solutions (or formulation solutions). For the present study five standard solutions containing Fluorometholone and Ketorolac tromethamine were prepared in 1:5, 5:2, 10:20, 15:10and 30:20 ratio in phosphate buffer (pH 2.0) and scanned in multicomponent mode.

 

Validation

Linearity:

0.1-20 µg/mL Fluorometholone and 1-20 µg/mL Ketorolac tromethamine solutions were prepared from their individual stock solutions separately and scanned against the reagent blank i.e. phosphate buffer. The absorbance as well as the absorptivity values were calculated at the selected wavelengths for both A and B methods as described in the procedure. A graph was drawn by taking the concentration of the drug solution on the x- axis and the corresponding absorbance values on the y-axis at the selected wavelengths whereas for method C derivative absorbance was plotted against the concentration of the drug solution. For method C the concentration of the drug solutions is given directly.

 

 

Table. 1. Details of reported analytical methods for Fluorometholone and Ketorolac tromethamine

Method

Reagents/Mobile phase

Linearity(µg/mL)

λmax (nm)

References

Spectrophotometric

Methanol

10-70 (FLM)

10-70 (KT)

226

296

2

HPLC

Phosphate buffer: methanol

2.5-7.5(FLM)

12.5-37.5(KT)

260

3

Spectrophotometric

Phosphate buffer (pH 2.0)

0.1-20 (FLM)

1-20 (KT)

241

323

Present work

 

 

 

Precision and Accuracy studies:

The intra-day and inter-day precision studies were performed at three different levels (10, 15 and 20 µg/mL) and accuracy studies were carried out by standard addition method (80%, 100%, and 120%) and the % recovery was calculated.

 

Assay of Fluorometholone and Ketorolac tromethamine:

The Eyetrust (Neiss labs Ltd, Mumbai) eye drops containing Fluorometholone 0.1% and Ketorolac tromethamine 0.5% was procured from the local pharmacy store, extracted with methanol and assayed after dilution with phosphate buffer for all the methods.

 

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION:

Four new spectrophotometric methods, simultaneous equation method (Method A), Q-Analysis (Method B), simultaneous derivative (Method C) and Multicomponent mode (Method D) were proposed for the simultaneous determination of Fluorometholone and Ketorolac tromethamine in eye drops using phosphate buffer (pH 2.0) and a detailed reported methods were given in Table 1.

 

Validation:

Linearity:

Method A: Simultaneous equation method:

The overlay zero order absorption spectra of Fluorometholone and Ketorolac tromethamine and their formulation was shown in Fig 2. The absorptivity values were calculated from the absorbance and substituted in the simultaneous equation given below.

 

At 241 nm,             A1 = 445.1 CFLM + 200.15 CKT

At 323 nm,             A2 = 14.8 CFLM + 644.5 CKT

 

A1 and A2 represents the combined absorbance of the marketed formulation solution at 241 nm and 323 nm respectively; CFLM and CKT are the concentrations of Fluorometholone and Ketorolac tromethamine (g/100ml) respectively.

 

Absorptivity of FLM at 241nm = 445.1

Absorptivity of FLM at 323nm = 14.8

Absorptivity of KT at 241nm = 200.15

Absorptivity of KT at 323nm = 644.5

 

Method B: Absorbance ratio method:

Two isosbestic points were observed at 214.63, 279.34 nm in the overlay absorption spectrum and assay was performed at 279.34 nm and 323 nm. The absorptivity values obtained at the selected wavelengths were substituted in the given equation

Cx = Qm-Qy/Qx-Qy×A1/ax1

Cy = Qm-Qx/Qy-Qx×A2/ay1

Cx = Concentration of Fluorometholone

Cy = Concentration of Ketorolac tromethamine

A1= Absorbance at isoabsorptive wavelength 279.34 nm.

A2 = Absorbance at wavelength 323 nm.

ax1 = Mean absorptivity of Fluorometholone at 279.34 nm. = 119.6

ay1 = Mean absorptivity of Ketorolac tromethamine at 323 nm. = 125.5

Qm = Ratio of absorbance of formulation solution at 279.34 and 323 nm. 

Qx = Ratio of absorptivity of Fluorometholone at 279.34 and 323 nm. = 0.1237

Qy = Ratio of absorptivity of Ketorolac tromethamine at 279.34 and 323nm. = 5.1354

 

FLM and KT obeys Beer-Lambert’s law 0.1-20 µg/mL and 1-20 µg/mL in all the methods (Figure 3A and 3B) with linear regression equations y = 0.0458x + 0.0026 (R² = 0.9991) and y = 0.0651x + 0.0055 (R² = 0.9995) for Fluorometholone and Ketorolac tromethamine respectively.

 

Method C: Simultaneous first derivative method (D1):

The overlay first order derivative spectrum of Fluorometholone and Ketorolac tromethamine was shown in Fig 4. Linearity was observed over the concentration range 0.1-20 µg/mL and 1-20 µg/mL for FLM and KT respectively. A graph was drawn by taking the drug concentration (FLM or KT) on the x-axis and the corresponding derivative absorbance on the y-axis and a straight line graph was obtained (Fig 5A and 5B).

 

Method D: Multicomponent mode:

In multicomponent mode method FLM an KT were directly determined from the inbuilt loaded software. The eyedrop formulation (1:5) has shown FLM: KT as 1.024: 5.0882 indicating that FLM is 102.4 % and KT as 101.76%.

 

 

 

Fig 2: Overlay zero order absorption Spectra of Fluorometholone (20 µg/mL), Ketorolac tromethamine (15 µg/mL) and FLM: KT formulation in phosphate buffer

 

  (A) (B)

Fig 3: Calibration curves of Fluorometholone (A) and Ketorolac tromethamine (B)

 

Fig4: Overlay first derivative spectrum of Fluorometholone (____) and Ketorolac tromethamine (- - - -) in phosphate buffer pH (2.0).

          

(A)                                                                                                   (B)

Fig 5. Calibration curves of Fluorometholone (A) and Ketorolac tromethamine (B)

 

 

Precision and Accuracy studies:

The % RSD in intra-day and inter-day precision was found to be less than 2 for both FLM and KT indicating that the method A, B and C are precise and the % RSD in accuracy studies was also less than 2 showing that the methods are accurate (Table 2).

 

 

Table 2. Accuracy study of Fluorometholone (FLM) and Ketorolac tromethamine (KT)

Drugs

Spiked

Conc (μg/ml)

Formulation

Conc. (μg/ml)

Method A

Method B

Method C

%RSD

%*Recovery

%RSD

%*Recovery

%RSD

%*Recovery

 

FLM

0.8 (80%)

1

1.12

99.56

0.67

99.4

0.97

98.24

1 (100%)

1

1.09

99.09

0.82

98.37

1.07

99.37

1.2 120%)

1

0.97

98.64

0.94

98.87

0.67

99.97

 

KT

4(80%)

5

1.25

98.57

1.04

99.20

1.34

99.57

5 (100%)

5

0.19

99.87

1.25

99.59

1.57

98.91

6 (120%)

5

1.05

99.20

0.97

98.10

1.09

99.02

*Mean of three replicates

 

 

Assay of Fluorometholone and Ketorolac tromethamine:

Eyetrust eye drops available in the local pharmacy store were procured and extracted with methanol, followed by filtration and dilution with phosphate buffer and analysed by the above methods. The % recovery obtained in the assay studies was shown in Table 3.

 

 

Table. 3. Assay of Fluorometholone and Ketorolac tromethamine

Formulation

brand

Drug

Labelclaim  (%)

*Amountfound (%)

*% Recovery

Method

Method

A

B

C

A

B

C

Brand I

KT

Fluorometholone

0.5

0.1

0.481

0.098

0.491

0.099

0.492

0.097

96.2

98.0

98.2

99.0

98.4

97.0

*Mean of three replicates

 

 

CONCLUSION:

The four spectrophotometric methods are simple, precise and accurate for the routine simultaneous determination of Fluorometholone and Ketorolac tromethamine in pharmaceutical formulations successfully.

 

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT:

The authors are grateful to M/s GITAM University, Visakhapatnam for providing the research facilities. The authors have no conflict of interest.

 

REFERENCES:

1.        Budavari S. (ed). The Merck Index, An Encyclopedia of chemicals, drugs and biologicals,14th ed., Whitehouse Station, NJ: Merck Research Laboratories Division of Merck and Co., Inc.; 2006.

2.        Shah JA and Maheshwari DG, development and validation of first order derivative UV spectrophotometric method for simultaneous estimation of Fluorometholone acetate and Ketorolac tromethamine in ophthalmic dosage form. Indian Journal of Drugs, 2(2), 2014, 56- 64.

3.        Priti SC, Rajesh RP and Dushyant AS, Development and validation of RP-HPLC method for simultaneous estimation of Ketorolac tromethamine and Fluorometholone in ophthalmic dosage form. Inventi Rapid - Pharm Analysis and Quality Assurance,  Inventi:ppaqa/1424/14, 2014.

4.         ICH Validation of analytical procedures: Text and methodology, Q2 (R1), International Conference on Harmonization, 2005.

 

 

 

Received on 31.03.2017             Modified on 24.04.2017

Accepted on 30.04.2017           © RJPT All right reserved

Research J. Pharm. and Tech. 2017; 10(4): 1179-1183.

DOI: 10.5958/0974-360X.2017.00225.6