Unlocking Pranoprofen's Hidden Glow: β-Cyclodextrin-Driven Fluorescence Amplification of Pranoprofen for Pharmaceutical and Biological Analysis

Abstract

This study introduces a novel approach for enhancing the inherent native fluorescence of pranoprofen, a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), commonly used to treat allergic conjunctivitis. The fluorescence was significantly amplified when pranoprofen was encapsulated within the hydrophobic cavity of β-cyclodextrin, which provided a favorable microenvironment that stabilized its protonated form. The enhanced fluorescence intensity was measured at 404 nm following excitation at 273 nm with a large Stokes shift of around 130 nm. The method was validated following ICH guidelines and demonstrated excellent linearity over a concentration range of 0.10–6.0 μg/mL, with a correlation coefficient of 0.9999 and a low limit of detection (LOD) of 0.034 μg/mL. The proposed method was effectively applied for the analysis of pranoprofen in ophthalmic solutions and aqueous humor, yielding recoveries ranging from 98.9 to 101.1%. Furthermore, multifaceted sustainability assessment tools confirmed the method's eco-sustainability. This analytical strategy offers a reliable, rapid, and eco-friendly solution for the routine analysis of pranoprofen in pharmaceutical and clinical analysis.