Enantiomeric resolution of three profen drugs using direct thin-layer chromatographic method

This study presents the enantiomeric resolution of three profen drugs, viz., flurbiprofen (FLB), fenoprofen, and zaltoprofen by employing sitafloxacin (SIT) as a chiral selector within a direct thin-layer chromatography (TLC) method. Chromatographic resolution of three drugs was carried out using a mobile phase consisting of acetonitrile‒methanol‒trimethylamine (6:3:1, V/V, pH 8.5), with a stationary phase maintained at pH 5. Analytical validation of the FLB enantiomeric resolution exhibited consistent recovery rates, with coefficient of variation (%CV) values consistently below 2%. Furthermore, the method demonstrated sensitivity, with low limits of detection and quantification values of 0.058 and 0.172 µg per spot, respectively, for FLB enantiomers, indicating reliable detection at low concentrations. The analytical data validate the effectiveness and reliability of the developed TLC method for the enantiomeric resolution of profen drugs, offering significant implications for pharmaceutical research and development.