Rapid HILIC Method for Assay and Dissolution Analysis of Rivastigmine Hydrogen Tartrate from Hydrophilic Matrix

We developed and validated a rapid hydrophilic interaction chromatography (HILIC) method using a core-shell column in a conventional HPLC to assess the dissolution profile of rivastigmine hydrogen tartrate (RHT, 6 mg) from hydrophilic matrix controlled-release tablets. The dissolution profile was determined from 10-360 min in a USP dissolution apparatus II using water at 37 °C at 50 rpm. The chromatographic separation was performed over 5 min using a Kinetex^® (100 x 4.6 mm, 2.6 μm) HILIC column and an isocratic mobile phase consisting of 80:20 acetonitrile:10 mM pH 5.8 ammonium acetate buffer at 30 ºC. The flow rate was 2.0 mL min-1 and the detection wavelength was 217 nm. The method was linear over a range of 1-30 μg mL^-1. The intra- and inter-day precision was < 4.0% RSD for the assay and < 15% RSD for the dissolution test. The methods exhibited good recovery (> 90% in the assay and > 95.0% in the dissolution test). The separation method tolerated small variations in flow and temperature. These techniques may be used as a rapid and accurate assay of RHT in hydrophilic matrixes, and to assess the dissolution profile of the drug in modified pharmaceutical dosage form.