Determination of tretinoin in creams by high-performance liquid chromatography

A rapid HPLC method for simultaneous determination of tretinoin and isotretinoin in dermatological formulations

“…Isotretinoin also has been determined by gas chromatography in soft and hard gelatin capsules [9]. Tretinoin has been determined in cream formulations by reversed-phase HPLC [5] and a reversed-phase HPLC method for determination of retinoids in pharmaceutical dosage forms with fluorescence detection has been described [10]. Although the above methods are able to separate and quantify tretinoin and isotretinoin, the extraction procedure is quite complex, and HPLC analysis involves long retention times.…”

“…Methods that allow the rapid analysis of tretinoin and related compounds in dermatological formulations provide value from several standpoints. Tretinoin is relatively sensitive to heat and oxidation during storage and thus precise and accurate tretinoin quantification is important for quality control of finished products [5]. It is also quite photosensitive, leading to several degradation products, mainly isotretinoin [6], thus simultaneous determination of tretinoin and isotretinoin is important for studying factors that affect tretinoin photostability.…”