Selective photometric determination of betamethasone benzoate and other 21-hydroxycorticosteroids

Condensation of the glyoxal obtained by cupric acetate oxidation of 21-hydroxycorticosteroids with acetous phenylhydrazine reagent affords a near UV chromophore. All of the tested corticosteroids, including triamicinolone acetonide, which gives low color yields in the Porter-Silber reaction and its Lewbart-Mattox modification, gave similar absorption maxima (362-370 nm) and molar absorptivities (epsilon = 17,000-20,500). Since corticosteroid 21-esters and oxidation products do not undergo the reaction, the assay method based on it is stability indicating for betamethasone benzoate and the other test compounds. Procedures are described for the assay of two topical betamethasone benzoate preparations and hydrocortisone and prednisolone tablets; recovery and precision data are given.