Abstract

This work presents a rapid and simple method for the parallel determination of Desogestrel (DSG) and 17 alpha-Ethinylestradiol (EE2) by second order derivative spectrophotometry and its application in pharmaceutical formulations. Study of the effect of the solvents, excipients and spectral behavior is also included. Acetonitrile was selected as a solvent; subsequently the samples were evaluated by second order derivatives, using a smoothing factor of 8,000 and a scale factor of 10(4). The EE2 determination was carried out using the graphical method at 288 nm and DSG by the zero-crossing method at 220 nm. The determination ranges were found to be between 1.5.10(-6) and 5.10(-4) mol/L and 1.7.10(-7) to 1.0.10(-3) mol/L for DSG and EE2, respectively. The homogenized tablets are divided in two fractions, the first, called sample A, was dissolved in acetonitrile, which contains the absorbents species that is polyvidone, DGS and EE2, the latter is determined directly at 288 nm. Meanwhile, in the second fraction (sample B), after extract with water the polyvidone and partially EE2, it is possible determine DGS at 220 nm. When the pharmaceutical formulation contains Vitamin E (Vit. E) is necessary to use an equations system to be evaluated in sample B.