A Validated Stability-Indicating HPLC-PDA Method for Tolnaftate: Identification, Characterization and In Silico Toxicity Predictions of Major Degradation Products

Abstract

Abstract Simple and rapid stability indicating High Performance Liquid Chromatography-Photo Diode Array (HPLC-PDA) method was developed and validated for the estimation of tolnaftate in the presence of its forced degradation products. The method employed SunQSil C18 column (250 mm × 4.6 mm, 5 μm) as stationary phase and acetonitrile:water (85:15, v/v) as mobile phase. Retention time of tolnaftate was 6.9 min. Acid and alkali hydrolysis, oxidation, photo degradation and thermal degradation studies were carried out to evaluate the degradation behavior of tolnaftate. The developed and optimized method was validated as per International Conferences on Harmonization (ICH) guidelines. Limit of detection and limit of quantitation were found to be 0.092 and 0.276 μg/mL, respectively. Linearity was observed in a concentration range of 0.276–6 μg/mL with R2 = 0.9936. %Recovery was found to be between 98.28% and 100.71%. The developed and validated Reversed Phase-High Performance Liquid Chromatography (RP-HPLC) method was successfully applied for quantification of tolnaftate in in-house topical solution. Major base and oxidative degradation products were identified and characterized by liquid chromatography–electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. The probable mechanisms for the formation of degradation products were predicted based on the fragmentation pattern of degradation products. The in silico dermal penetration predictions and carcinogenicity of degradation products were evaluated by using QikProp and CarcinoPred-EL functionality.