Reversed-Phase Liquid Chromatographic Method for Simultaneous Determination of Metformin and Repaglinide in Pharmaceutical Preparations

 

T.M. Kalyankar1,  and R.B. Kakde2*

1School of Pharmacy, S.R.T. Marathawada University, Nanded, Maharashtra, India.

2Departments of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Rastrasant Tukadoji Maharaj Nagpur University, Nagpur, Maharashtra, India.

 

 

ABSTRACT:

A simple, rapid, precise and accurate reversed phase high performance liquid chromatographic method has been developed for the simultaneous determination of metformin in combination with repaglinide. This method uses a Hypersil ODS C18   (250mm×4.6mm×5µ particle Size) analytical column, a mobile phase of acetonitrile and buffer containing 0.05 M ammonium acetate in the ratio 60:40 (v/v), and pH adjusted to 5.0 with orthophosphoric acid. The instrument was set with a flow rate of 1 ml/min and PDA detector wavelength at 271 nm. The retention times for metformin and repaglinide are 3.13 min and 10.01min respectively. The method was validated as per the ICH guidelines.  The linearity range for metformin and repaglinide were found to be 200-1200 and 0.5-3.0 µg/ml respectively. The percentage recovery for metformin and repaglinide are in the range between 99.25–99.48 and 98.58–100.26 respectively. The correlation coefficients of metformin and repaglinide were 0.999, and 0.999, respectively. The relative standard deviation for six replicates was always less than 2%. The statistical analysis proves that the method was suitable for analysis of metformin and repaglinide as a bulk drug and in pharmaceutical formulation without any interference from the excipients.

 

KEYWORDS: Antidiabetic drugs, Metformin, Repaglinide, Validation and RP-HPLC.

 

 

INTRODUCTION:

Diabetes is one of the costliest health problems in the world. Globally, diabetes is likely to be the Fourth leading cause of death.1 Approximately 90% of people with diabetes have type 2 diabetes. It usually begins as insulin resistance, a disorder in which the cells do not use insulin properly. As the need for insulin rises; the pancreas gradually loses its ability to produce insulin.

 

Type II diabetes is associated with older age, obesity, family history of gestational diabetes, impaired glucose metabolism, physical inactivity and race/ ethnicity.2 If the glycemic target level is not achieved with one oral agent alone, combination oral and/or insulin therapy is recommended.3, 4 Combination oral therapy becomes an obvious choice when glycemic control is not achieved with conventional monotherapy.5 The advantages of oral dose combinations as compared to their components which are taken alone are lower cost and better patient compliance.6, 7

 

 


Combination therapy has been shown to achieve greater blood glucose lowering than monotherapy because different classes have different and complimentary mechanisms of action. Therefore, it is more logical to add another drug than replace the existing drug. The rapid introduction of combination therapy with two or three complementary oral anti diabetics help in targeting the dual effect and also reduced adverse effects.8

 

Chemically, Metformin (fig. -1A) is 1, 1-Dimethylbiguanide and Repaglinide (fig. -1B) is S (+) 2-ethoxy-4(2((3-methyl-1-(2-(1-piperidinyl) phenyl)-butyl) amino)-2-oxoethyl) benzoic acid. Metformin is an anti-diabetic drug from the biguanide class of oral hypoglycemic agents, given orally in the treatment of non–insulin dependent diabetes mellitus.9 Metformin reduces free fatty acid oxidation because enhanced free fatty acid oxidation in diabetes contributes to increased hepatic glucose production and development of insulin resistance while Repaglinide lowers blood glucose levels by stimulating the release of insulin from the pancreas. This action is depends upon functioning beta (ß) cells in the pancreatic islets.10

 

Fig. 1.  Structures of Antidiabetic Drugs: Metformin (A) and Repaglinide (B)

 

Literature survey reveals that several analytical methods are available for determination of metformine and repaglinide individually or in combinations with other drugs in pharmaceutical dosage forms and also in biological samples11-15. No method has been reported for determination of metformine and repaglinide in combination. The attempt was made to develop a simple chromatographic method for simultaneous estimation of these two drugs in a tablet formulation. The method described is rapid, precise and accurate and can be used for routine analysis of tablets. The developed method was then validated as per ICH guidelines.16-17

 

EXPERIMENTAL:

Instrumentation:

The LC system was from Perkin Elmer Quaternary pump Series 200 and was comprised of auto sampler injector; and an Intelligence PDA detector connected to the Total Chrome Navigator version 6.3. For controlling the instrumentation as well as processing the data generated was used.

 

Material and reagents:

Metformin (MET) was obtained from Macleoides Research Laboratory (Mumbai, Maharashtra, India) and Repaglinide (RGN) was obtained from Wallace Pharmaceuticals, Pvt. Ltd. (Goa, India). Acetonitrile (HPLC grade), Ammonium acetate (AR grade), Methanol (HPLC grade), Orthophosphoric acid (AR grade) were obtained from Rankem Pvt. Ltd. Delhi, India. The 0.45 µm membrane filter was used throughout the experiment. The tablets of MET in combination with RGN (Eurepa-MF) were purchased from Local market. Double distilled water was used through out the experiment. Other chemicals used in the experiment were of analytical or HPLC grade.

 

Chromatographic conditions:

An isocratic mobile phase consists of acetonitrile and ammonium acetate buffer (pH 5.0) in the ratio of 60:40 v/v, flowing through the column at a constant flow rate of 1.0 ml/min. A Hypersil ODS C18 column (250mm × 4.6mm, 5 μ) was used as the stationary phase. MET and RGN have different λmax but considering the chromatographic parameter, sensitivity, and selectivity of the method for these drugs, 271 nm was selected as the detection wavelength for PDA detector. The injection volume was 10 µl.

 

Mobile phase:

The mobile phase consisted of Acetonitrile and Ammonium acetate buffer in the ratio 60:40 (v/v). The pH of the buffer was adjusted to 5.0 with orthophosphoric acid. The buffer used in the mobile phase consisted of 0.05 M Ammonium Phosphate in double distilled water. The mobile phase was premixed and filtered through a 0.45-µm membrane filter and degassed.

 

Standard stock solutions:

Metformin:

An accurately weighed 50 mg of MET was transferred in a 50 mL volumetric flask, and dissolved with methanol. The final stock solutions was sonicated for 20 min and filtered through 0.45 µm membrane filter.

 

Repaglinide:

An accurately weighed 50 mg of RGN was transferred in a 50 mL volumetric flask, and dissolved with methanol. The final stock solutions was sonicated for 20 min and filtered through 0.45 µm membrane filter.

 

Preparation of standard mixed solutions:

An accurately weighed 500 mg of MET was transferred in a 50 mL volumetric flask, and 25ml of methanol was added. To this 1ml of standard stock solution of RGN was added. The volume was made upto the mark with methanol. The contents were sonicated for 20 min, and then filtered through 0.45μm membrane filter.

 

Calibration curve solutions:

From the mentioned stock solutions of MET and RGN calibration curve solutions containing 200 - 1200 µg/ml of MET and 0.5-3.0 µg/ml of RGN in each calibration level were prepared.

 

Preparation of sample solutions

Twenty tablets were weighed and finely powdered. A quantity equivalent to one tablet containing 500 mg of MET and 1 mg of RGN was transferred in a 50 mL volumetric flask and volume was made with methanol. The contents were sonicated with methanol for 20 min, and filtered through 0.45μm membrane filter.

 

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION:

Optimization of chromatographic conditions:

The chromatographic method was optimized by Different experiments were performed to achieve the adequate retentions and resolution for the peaks of RGN and MET. To set the adequate retentions and resolution, the effects of the mobile phase components, changes in ionic strength were studied, initially methanol and water in different ratios were tried. But MET gave broad peak shape While RGN gave no peak, so water was replaced by potassium dihydrogen buffer (0.2 M), and mixture of methanol and potassium dihydrogen phosphate buffer in different ratios were tried. It was found that both peak shows broad peaks finally Acetonitrile: 0.05M Ammonium acetate buffer pH 5.0 adjusted with OPA in ratio of 60: 40 v/v gave acceptable retention time (3.13 min for MET and 10.01 min for RGN) and good resolution for MET and RGN was found to be 12.43 at the flow rate of 1.0 ml/min. gave adequate retentions and resolution, and the chromatographic run was 15 min.

 

Validation of the method:

Specificity:

The specificity of the method was checked by a peak purity test of the sample preparation done by PDA detector. The peak purity for RGN and MET was found to be 999. The result of the peak purity analysis shows that the peaks of the analytes were pure and also the formation excipients were not interfering with the analyte peaks.

 

Calibration and linearity:

The standard solutions containing 200 - 1200 µg/ml of MET and 0.5 - 3.0 µg/ml of RGN in each linearity level were prepared. Linearity solutions were injected in triplicate. In the simultaneous determination, the calibration graphs were found to be linear for both the analytes in the mentioned concentrations. The coefficient of correlation was found to be 0.999 and 0.999 for MET and RGN, respectively.

 

Precision:

The precision of the method was studied by determining the concentrations of each ingredient in the tablets six times. In the precision study, % relative standard deviation of the MET and RGN were found to be 1.024 and 0.768 respectively. The results of precision study indicate that the method is reproducible.

 

Intermediate precision:

Intermediate precision of the method was done by analyzing the sample six times on different days, by different chemists, using different analytical column of the make, and different HPLC systems. The percentage assay was calculated using the calibration curve. The assay results are shown in Table I.

 

Table I. Assay Results of Active Ingredients in Tablets

Set

Ingre dients

Label claim      (mg)

Found

(mg)

% Label claim

± %RSD

Precision

MET

500

496.35

99.27 ± 1.024

RGN

1

0.994

99.41 ± 0.768

Intermediate precision

MET

500

499.55

99.91 ± 1.022

RGN

1

0.995

99.53 ± 0.711

† Average of six analyses

Accuracy:

The accuracy of the method was studied by recovery experiments. The recovery experiments were performed by adding known amounts of the pure drug. The recovery was done at three levels: 80%, 100%, and 120% of the label claim. Three samples were prepared for each recovery level. The recovery values for RGN and MET ranged from 99.25–99.48 and 98.58–100.26, respectively (Table II). The average recovery of three levels for RGN and MET were 99.35 and 99.33 respectively.

 

Table II. Results of the Recovery Tests for the Drugs

Level of addition

(%)

Amount added              (mg)

Recovery

(%)*

Average

Recovery

MET

RGN

MET

RGN

MET

RGN

80

400

0.8

99.25±1.74

98.58±1.66

99.33

 

99.35

 

100

500

1

99.48±0.94

99.23±0.52

120

600

1.2

99.28±0.36

100.26±1.8

* RSD shown in parenthesis.

† Average recovery = average of three levels, nine determinations

 

Determination of the limits of detection and Quantitation:

For determining the limits of detection (LOD) and quantitation (LOQ), the method based on the residual standard deviation (SD) of a regression line and slope was adopted. To determine the LOD and LOQ, a specific calibration curve was studied using samples containing the analytes in the range of the detection and quantitation limits. The LOD for RGN and MET were 0.00016 and 0.00037 µg/mL, and the LOQ were 0.00048 and 0.0012 µg/ml respectively.

 

System suitability:

For system suitability studies, five replicate injections of mixed standard solutions were injected, and the parameters like RSD of peak area ratio, column efficiency, resolution, and tailing factor of the peaks were calculated. Results are shown in Table III.

 


Table III. System Suitability Parameters

Parameters

MET

RGN

Retention time (min)

3.13

10.01

Tailing Factor

1.47

1.06

Theoretical Plates

6669.01

13757.05

Resolution

12.43

 

Table IV. Summary of Robustness Study

Chromatographic changes

Flow Rate (ml/min)

Level

RT

Tailing factor

% drug Found

MET

RGN

MET

RGN

MET

RGN

0.8

-1

3.60

10.64

1.32

1.13

99.63

100.20

1.0

0

3.50

10.63

1.47

1.06

100.16

99.50

1.2

+1

3.36

9.94

1.34

1.08

99.95

99.01

MEAN± S.D.  99.74 ± 0.54   99.5 ± 0.59

% of ACN

in the mobile phase (v/v)

Level

RT

Tailing factor

% drug Found

MET

RGN

MET

RGN

MET

RGN

58

-1

3.38

9.60

1.37

1.15

99.74

98.77

60

0

3.50

10.63

1.47

1.06

100.16

99.50

62

+1

3.48

9.83

1.32

1.09

99.77

98.40

MEAN ± S.D. 99.89 ± 0.23   98.92 ± 0.60

Temperature

Level

RT

Tailing factor

% drug Found

MET

RGN

MET

RGN

MET

RGN

28

-1

3.42

10.58

1.29

1.08

100.02

100.21

29

0

3.50

10.63

1.47

1.06

100.16

99.50

30

+1

3.39

10.52

1.36

1.11

100.01

100.03

MEAN± S.D.  100.06 ± 0.08  99.81 ± 0.54

pH

Level

RT

Tailing factor

% drug Found

MET

RGN

MET

RGN

MET

RGN

4.8

-1

3.38

11.37

1.32

1.11

100.00

100.10

5.0

0

3.50

10.63

1.47

1.06

100.16

99.50

5.2

+1

3.36

9.74

1.35

1.13

99.26

100.01

MEAN± S.D.   99.80 ± 0.48 99.90 ± 0.27

* Mean of three levels (n = 3)

 

Fig. 2.  A typical chromatogram of Metformin and Repaglinide

 

 


Robustness:

To evaluate robustness of the developed method, few parameters were deliberately varied. These parameters included variation of flow rate, percentage of Acetonitrile in the mobile phase, pH of buffer and temperature. Each factor selected was changed at three levels (-1, 0, +1). One factor was changed at one time to estimate the effect. The results are shown in Table IV

 

Determination of active ingredients in tablets:

The contents of two drugs in tablets were determined by the proposed method using a calibration curve. The determinations were done in two sets, one for precision and the second for intermediate precision, and six samples were prepared for each set. The results are shown in table III. The chromatogram of the tablet sample is shown in Figure 2.

 

CONCLUSION:

The developed method is suitable for simultaneous determination of repaglinide and metformin in the pharmaceutical preparations as well as in bulk drugs. The method is validated as per the ICH guidelines and shown to be specific, accurate and precise. The method can be used in the quality control departments for the analysis of repaglinide and metformin in combination.

 

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS:

The authors are thankful to Macleoides Research Laboratory, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India and Wallace Pharmaceuticals, Pvt. Ltd, Goa, India, for providing gift samples of pure drugs. The authors are also grateful to the School of Pharmacy S.R.T.M. University Nanded, Maharashtra, India for providing the facilities for this research work.

 

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Received on 18.08.2011

Accepted on 12.09.2011        

© A&V Publication all right reserved

Research Journal of Pharmaceutical Dosage Forms and Technology. 3(5): Sept.-Oct. 2011, 233-237