Analysis of binary mixtures of flufenamic, meclofenamic and mefenamic acids by derivative synchronous fluorescence spectrometry

Second-derivative synchronous fluorescence spectrometry was used to develop a simple, rapid and sensitive spectrofluorimetric method for the determination of binary mixtures of the nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs flufenamic (FFA), meclofenamic (MCFA) and mefenamic (MFA) acids in serum and pharmaceutical formulations. The method is based on the intrinsic fluorescence of these compounds in chloroform. A Deltalambda=105 nm was used for the resolution of FFA-MFA and MFA-MCFA mixtures, whereas the FFA-MCFA mixture was determined at Deltalambda=40 nm. Serum samples are treated with trichloroacetic acid to remove the proteins, and the analytes are extracted in chloroform prior to determination. Pharmaceutical preparations were analysed without prior separation steps.