SIMULTANEOUS DETERMINATION OF QUERCETIN AND RIFAMPICIN IN PHARMACEUTICAL FORMULATIONS USING PLS-UV SPECTROPHOTOMETRY

Abstract

Tuberculosis is a global health threat and Rifampicin is one of the most commonly used antibiotics for its treatment. However, it has been reported to cause adverse effects in some patients, which can limit its clinical use. Quercetin, a herbal bio-enhancer, can potentially increase Rifampicin's bioavailability and reduce its toxicity. Therefore, developing a method for the simultaneous determination of Rifampicin and Quercetin in pharmaceutical formulations is crucial. This study proposes a numerical technique based on spectroscopic data and partial least squares (PLS) multivariate measurement for the simultaneous determination of Rifampicin and Quercetin in raw material and liquid-solid formulations. Spectra of Rifampicin and Quercetin were captured within a 2-10 µg/mL linear range for each compound. The technique involves computing 25 simulated mixtures containing 16 calibration and 9 validation sets, with a wavelength spacing of λ=15 nm in hydrochloric acid (0.1 M) and phosphate buffer pH-6.8, using wavelength ranges of 200-630 nm. The models' appropriateness was determined based on root mean square errors (RMSE) of validation and calibration data. Recovery studies and relative prediction errors were used to compare and contrast the analytical capabilities of various chemometric techniques. The proposed method showed successful use in formulating pharmaceuticals without excipient interference, and it is quick, easy to use, and can replace traditional analytical tools in pharmaceutical formulation and quality control. This study provides a reliable method for the simultaneous determination of Rifampicin and Quercetin, which can enhance their clinical use for tuberculosis treatment.