TLC determination of meloxicam in tablets and after acidic and alkaline hydrolysis.

A simple and rapid method for separation and determination of meloxicam and its degradation products by thin-layer chromatography with densitometric detection in pharmaceutical preparations was described. The method employed TLC F254 plates as the stationary phase. The solvent system consisted of ethyl acetate : toluene : butylamine (2:2:1, v/v/v). Densitometric analysis was carried out in absorbance mode at wavelength of 297 nm. The method was validated for linearity, precision and accuracy. The limits of detection and determination were 0.96 μg per spot and 2.90 μg per spot, respectively. The drug was degraded in acidic and basic environment, at different temperatures. The degradation products were well resolved from the active substance. The HPLC-MS/MS method for the identification of degradation products of meloxicam (i.e. 5-methylthiazol- 2-ylamine and 5-(dioxide-l(6)-sulfanylidene)-6-methylidenecyclohexa-1,3-diene) was investigated. Because the presented method allows the efficient separation of the drug from some of its degradation products, so it can be used as a stability-indicating analysis.