Derivative spectrophotometric determination of some corticosteroids in combinations with other drugs

Three 2-component mixtures, namely, dexamethazone-chlorpheniramine maleate, prednisolone-chlorpheniramine maleate, and prednisolone-salicylic acid, have been assayed using their first (D1) and second (D2) derivative spectra in methanol, delta absorption (delta A), and second derivative of delta A (delta D2) spectra in methanol-methanolic HCl. In the first 2 mixtures, chlorpheniramine maleate was determined by measuring its delta D2 value at 278 nm, while dexamethazone and prednisolone were analyzed by measuring their D1 values at 248 nm. Prednisolone and salicylic acid were analyzed in combination by using their respective D2 spectral responses at 272 and 314 nm. The results obtained are reasonably reproducible with a relative standard deviation less than 2%. The method has been successfully applied to the analysis of these drugs in their pharmaceutical formulations.