Abstract: | A sensitive and rapid liquid chromatographic method was successfully developed and validated for the determination of sibutramine
hydrochloride in bulk and capsules. Sibutramine in the presence of its degradation products was analyzed using UV detection
at 225 nm. Chromatography was performed on a reversed-phase C8 (150 × 4.0 mm I.D., 5 μm) analytical column under isocratic conditions. The mobile phase was composed of acetonitrile:water
(aqueous phase containing 0.3% triethylamine and pH adjusted to 7.0) (75:25, v/v) at a flow-rate of 1.1 mL min−1. No chromatographic interference was found during the analysis. Light was the stress condition which most contributed to
sibutramine degradation. The method showed a linear response (r > 0.999) from 30 to 90 μg mL−1. The mean recovery for capsules was 101.2%. Inter-day assays showed relative standard deviations of 0.42 and 1.62% for bulk
and capsules, respectively. The developed method is able to separate sibutramine from its major degradation products and it
may be used in the quality control of this active pharmaceutical ingredient in both bulk and capsules. |