Difference spectrophotemetric assay of mixtures of phenylpropanolamine hydrochloride with guaifensesin or fextromethorphan hydrobromide in olid cough formulations

A difference spectrophotometric method is described for the selective assay of phenylpropanolamine hydrochloride(I) in the presence of guaifenesin(II) or dextromethorphan hydrobromide(III) without prior separation. The method is based on the spectral change upon oxidation of phenylpropanolamine to benzaldehyde by sodium metaperiodate. The difference absorption spectrum is obtained by measuring oxidized against unoxidized phenylpropanolamine. This spectrum exhibits a maximum of 251.5 nm, a minimum at 275 nm and an isosbestic point at 272.5 nm. Absorbance is linear with concentration for 25–100 μg ml^?1 phenylpropanolamine at 251.5 nm. No changes in the spectra of compounds II and III were observed when these compounds were treated with metaperiodate. Guaifenesin and dextromethorphan are assayed by measuring an aliquot of the sample solution against methanol at 281.5 nm and 286 nm, respectively. Phenylpropanolamine does not interfere at these wavelengths. Calibrations are linear over the range 25–125 μg ml^?1 for II and III. Overall recoveries (±SD, n = 5) from simulated tablets were 99.8 ± 2.6% for I and 100.5 ± 0.5% for II; from simulated capsules, the recoveries were 99.2 ± 0.4% for I and 99.6 ± 0.2% for III. The assay was succesfully applied to commercial tablets and capsules containing these compounds.