A Simple Spectrofluorimetric Method for Determination of Mefenamic Acid in Pharmaceutical Preparation and Urine

A simple, sensitive and rapid spectrofluorimetric method was developed for determination of mefenamic acid in pharmaceutical preparation and human urine. The procedure is based on the oxidation of mefenamic acid with cerium (IV) to produce cerium (III), and its fluorescence was monitored at 354 nm after excitation at 255 nm. The variables affecting oxidation of drug were studied and optimized. Under the experimental conditions used, the calibration graphs were linear over the range 0.03-1.5 mg $L^{-1}$. The limit of detection was 0.009 mg $L^{-1}$ and the relative standard deviation for 5 replicate determinations of mefenamic acid at 1.0 mg $L^{-1}$ concentration level was 1.72%. Good recoveries in the range of 102-107 and 102-109% were obtained for pharmaceutical preparation and human urine, respectively. The proposed method was applied to the determination of MF in one pharmaceutical preparation and human urine. The amounts of mefenamic acid found are very similar to those obtained by a standard method.