TITLE:
Quality Control of Paracetamol Generic Tablets Marketed in Benin and Search of Its Two Impurities P-Aminophenol and P-Nitrophenol by HPLC-UV/Visible
AUTHORS:
Yemoa Loconon Achille, Agbokponto Janvier Engelbert, Assanhou Assogba Gabin, Adetona Pauline, Doffon Parfait, Ganfon Habib, Roland Marini Djang’eing’a
KEYWORDS:
Quality Control, Substandard Medicines, Paracetamol, P-Aminophenol, P-Nitrophenol, Benin
JOURNAL NAME:
American Journal of Analytical Chemistry,
Vol.13 No.11,
November
17,
2022
ABSTRACT: In this work, we evaluated the quality of paracetamol generic tablets while seeking its two main impurities namely 4-para-aminophenol (4-AP) and 4-para-nitrophenol (4-NP) which have nephrotoxic and teratogenic properties. Ninety-four (94) samples were collected at various levels of the medicine supply chain and illegal markets in Benin for quality control tests such as visual inspection, pharmacotechnical tests as mass variation, disintegration test, dissolution test, followed by HPLC UV-Vis identification and assay of paracetamol, 4-AP and 4-NP. The analytes were separated on C18 Lichrocart column (250 mm × 4.0 mm i.d, 5 μm); the mobile phase was MeOH:10 mM ammonium acetate buffer pH 6.8 (35:65) pumped at a flow rate of 1 ml/min. The detection was done at 245 nm. Analysis of our results shows that 77.7% of the samples did not comply with the visual inspection test requirements, 2.1% did not pass the mass variation test, 24.3% of the sample batches didn’t comply with the disintegration test requirements. In addition none of these uncomply batches passed the dissolution test, even if the identification test indicated that all samples contained paracetamol. None contained 4-NP (acceptance limit