An HPLC method for quantitation of perillyl alcohol in a topical pharmaceutical cream formulation

A reverse phase high performance liquid chromatographic method for quantitation of perillyl alcohol in a topical cream pharmaceutical formulation was developed. Previously reported methods for analyzing drugs in lipid formulations are relatively complex and time consuming, with extraction, purification and derivatization involved. Through a simple dilution of the cream formulation in isopropyl alcohol, the present assay method enables the direct injection of the samples, on an Alltima C18 5 mu, 150 mm x 2.1 mm, narrow bore column (Alltech Associates, Deerfield, IL). The method includes an isocratic run with acetonitrile-water (40:60, v/v) at 0.35 mL/min for 12 min, followed by a gradient wash with isopropyl alcohol for 20 min, to ensure that all formulation excipients are eluted. Ultraviolet detection was performed at 210 nm with a retention time for perillyl alcohol of 7 min. The high sensitivity assay utilizes a small (5 microL) injection volume for the accurate and precise analysis of perillyl alcohol from a complex cream formulation.