Ion-pair RP-HPLC method for the estimation of eberconazole nitrate in bulk form and in pharmaceutical dosage forms

An isocratic ion-pair reversed phase high-performance liquid chromatography-ultraviolet (RP-HPLC-UV) method for analysis of eberconazole nitrate in bulk and in pharmaceutical dosage forms has been developed and validated. Best separation was achieved on Lichrospher C18 column (250 mm × 4.6 mm, 5 μm) using a mobile phase of 10 mM potassium dihydrogen phosphate containing 10 mM tetra-butyl ammonium hydroxide (pH adjusted to 2.8 with ortho phosphoric acid) and methanol (75:25, v/v) at a flow rate of 1.0 mL min-1. UV detection was performed at 220 nm. The method was validated for specificity, linearity, precision, accuracy, limit of detection, limit of quantification, robustness, and solution stability. The calibration plot was linear over the concentration range of 10–80 μg mL-1 (r2 = 0.999) and the limits of detection and quantification were 0.3 and 0.9 μg mL-1, respectively. Intra-day and inter-day precisions were 1.13% and 1.67%, respectively. Experimental design was employed to optimize the method. The method was successfully used for analysis of eberconazole nitrate in commercially available cream (Ebernet).