Derivative ratio spectra-zero crossing spectrophotometry and LC method applied to the quantitative determination of paracetamol, propyphenazone and caffeine in ternary mixtures.

Two methods were used to determine paracetamol, caffeine and propyphenazon in ternary mixtures and tablets. Derivative ratio spectra-zero crossing procedure was based on the simultaneous use of the first derivative of ratio spectra and measurements of derivative ratio analytical signals corresponding to the zero crossing points of wavelengths. By using propyphenazon as a divisor, the amounts of paracetamol and caffeine in the ternary mixture were determined by measuring the first derivative ratio amplitudes at 242.8 nm (zero-crossing point for caffeine) and 251.2 and 273.8 nm (zero-crossing point for paracetamol) respectively. Also by using paracetamol as a divisor, the contents of propyhenazon and caffeine in the same ternary mixture were determined by measuring the first derivative ratio amplitudes at 244.8 and 276.9 nm (zero-crossing point for caffeine) and 250.6 and 274.0 nm (zero-crossing point for propyphenazon), respectively. For the HPLC procedure, a Nucleosil C18 column and a mobile phase consisted of water and methanol (20:80) were used to separate three compounds with cetrimide as an internal standard. The flow rate was 1.0-ml/min with an ultraviolet (UV) detection at 254 nm. Both methods were also applied to the determination of these three compounds in ternary mixtures and tablet formulation. The analytical results were quite good in all cases.