High-performance thin-layer chromatography determination of some antimycotic imidazole derivatives and preservatives in medicinal creams and a gel.

Simple and reliable thin-layer chromatography-densitometry methods for determination of antimycotics (bifonazole, clotrimazole, and miconazole) and preservatives (benzyl alcohol and benzoic acid) were developed. The pairs bifonazole/benzyl alcohol, clotrimazole/benzyl alcohol, and miconazole/benzoic acid were determined simultaneously. The following mobile phases were used: ethyl acetate-n-heptane-methanoldiethylamine (3 + 4.5 + 1 + 0.2, v/v/v/v) for bifonazole and benzyl alcohol; n-butyl acetate-n-heptane-methanol-dietylamine (3 + 4.5 + 1 + 0.2, v/v/v/v) for clotrimazole and benzyl alcohol; and n-butyl acetate-carbon tetrachloride-methanol-diethylamine (3 + 6 + 2.5 + 0.5, v/v/v/v) for miconazole and benzoic acid. The chromatographic zones on silica gel plates were scanned in the reflectance/absorbance mode at 230 nm (bifonazole, benzyl alcohol, miconazole, and benzoic acid) and 210 nm (clotrimazole and benzyl alcohol). The recovery for all substances ranged from 98.7 to 100.7%. The limits of detection and quantitation were 0.03 to 0.2 microg and 0.1 to 0.5 microg/spot, respectively. The proposed methods were applied for determination of antimycotics and preservatives in commercially available pharmaceuticals.