Development and validation of HPLC analytical method for Nepafenac in ophthalmic dosage form (suspension)

The aim of the present study was to develop and validate an analytical method for the estimation of nepafenac as a raw material as well as in dosage form (suspension) by using reverse phase high performance liquid chromatographic (RP-HPLC). The target was to obtain an easy, rapid, reproducible as well as a rugged method. The HPLC system that was used in the proposed study was LC-20AD liquid chromatograph equipped with SPD-20A UV-VIS detector. The separation was performed on C18 column which was attached with loop 20 mu l. Elution was done at ambient temperature with a mobile phase consisting of acetonitrile: Water (40: 60v/v) at a flow rate of 1 ml/min and at a wavelength of 254 nm. The proposed method was validated as per the ICH guidelines. The retention time for nepafenac was 7.49 minutes (% CV=0.0076). The percentage coefficient variation (CV) of six consecutive peak areas of injections was 0.34% with tailing factor 1.76. The peak area responses were linear within the concentration range of 0.078-20.0 mu g/ml (R-2=0.9993). The sensitivity of the method could be evaluated by limits of detection (LOD) (0.0195 mu g/ml) and limits of quantitation (LOQ) (0.039 mu g/ml). Nepafenac drug is s in its diluent that could see by intra-day (% CV =0.45-1.96) and inter-day variation (%CV=0.173-1.898%). The accuracy and recovery results of 80%, 100% and 120% were 97.40% to 102.10% with % CV of 0.3201% to 1.3496%. The robustness and ruggedness of the method are significantly broader and is reproducible. It could be used as a more convenient, efficient, easy and time saving method for the analysis of drug in raw material as well as in dosage form (ophthalmic suspension).