A stability indicating LC method for rivastigmine hydrogen tartrate

An isocratic, reversed-phase liquid chromatographic (RPLC) method was developed for the quantitative determination of Rivastigmine hydrogen tartrate, a cholinesterase inhibitor in bulk drugs and in pharmaceutical dosage forms. The developed method is also applicable for the related substance determination of Rivastigmine hydrogen tartrate in bulk drugs. The chromatographic separation was achieved on a Waters X Terra RP18 (250 mm x 4.6 mm, 5 microm) column using aqueous 0.01 M sodium-1-heptane sulphonate (pH: 3.0 with dilute phosphoric acid)-acetonitrile (72:28, v/v) as a mobile phase. The chromatographic resolution between Rivastigmine and its potential impurity, namely (S)-3-(1-dimethylaminoethyl) phenol (Imp 1) was found to be greater than four. Forced degradation studies were performed for Rivastigmine hydrogen tartrate bulk drug using acid (0.5 N hydrochloric acid), base (0.5 N sodium hydroxide), oxidation (3% hydrogen peroxide), heat (60 degrees C) and UV light (254 nm). No degradation was observed for Rivastigmine hydrogen tartrate except in base hydrolysis and the formed degradation product was found to be Imp 1. The mass balance of Rivastigmine hydrogen tartrate was close to 100 in all the stress conditions. The limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) of Imp 1 were found to be 100 and 300 ng/ml, respectively, for 10 microl injection volume. The percentage recovery of Imp 1 in bulk drug sample was ranged from 95.2 to 104.3. The active pharmaceutical ingredient was extracted from its finished dosage form (capsule) using water. The percentage recovery of Rivastigmine hydrogen tartrate was ranged from 99.2 to 101.3 and 98.6 to 101.5 in bulk and pharmaceutical formulation samples, respectively. Rivastigmine hydrogen tartrate sample solution and mobile phase were found to be stable for at least 48 h. The developed method was validated with respect to linearity, accuracy, precision, robustness and forced degradation studies prove the stability indicating power of the method.