Stable isotopic composition of the active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) naproxen

J Pharm Biomed Anal. 2005 Jul 15;38(4):781-4. doi: 10.1016/j.jpba.2005.02.033. Epub 2005 Apr 14.

Abstract

A survey of the multi-stable isotopic composition of an active pharmaceutical ingredient (API), naproxen, was performed to assess the potential of Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometry (IRMS) to distinguish the provenance of APIs. Twenty-six lots of naproxen from six manufacturers representing four countries (Italy, India, Ireland, and the USA) were analyzed for three isotope ratios (13C/12C, 18O/16O, and D/H). The samples were analyzed by either Elemental Analyzer/Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometry (EA/IRMS: carbon (delta13C)) or by Thermal Conversion-EA/IRMS (TCEA/IRMS: hydrogen (deltaD) and oxygen (delta18O)). Bivariate and trivariate isotope ratio graphs for naproxen show marked clustering of the data for five out of the six naproxen manufacturers, suggesting that IRMS may be a plausible means to screen for manufacturer of given APIs.

MeSH terms

  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / analysis*
  • Carbon Isotopes
  • Hydrogen / analysis
  • Mass Spectrometry
  • Naproxen / analysis*
  • Oxygen Isotopes
  • Reproducibility of Results
  • United States
  • United States Food and Drug Administration

Substances

  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal
  • Carbon Isotopes
  • Oxygen Isotopes
  • Naproxen
  • Hydrogen