APPLICATION OF BIOANALYTICAL METHOD IN PHARMACOKINETIC STUDIES OF DIKAMALI GUM BASED MICROSPHERES OF FLURBIPROFEN FROM RABBIT BLOOD SAMPLES

Preparation and evaluation of dikamali gum-based microspheres of Flurbiprofen, needed a suitable bioanalytical method. In this direction, we report the development of a simple RP-HPLC method for the determination of Flurbiprofen in rabbit plasma samples by using the standard internal method. The method was carried out on RP C18 column, with a mixture of the buffer: acetonitrile (60:40) as the mobile phase. The linearity was found to be in the range of 83.90-99.45%. The half-life of drug was 4.7-5.7 h. The developed method was validated as per USFDA guidelines and used in the estimation of Flurbiprofen microspheres on oral administration in rabbits. It was observed that the T_max and AUC of Flurbiprofen was 3 h, 114.24 mcg.hr/ml for the marketed formulation, and 9 h and 213.03 mcg.hr/ml for test formulation, respectively. The pharmacokinetic parameters of the test formulation showed delayed T_max, decreased C_max, and increased area under the curve (AUC) as compared to the reference formulation. This indicated that Flurbiprofen was not released significantly in the stomach and small intestine but was delivered to the colon resulting in slow absorption of the drug and making it available for local action in the colon.