Extraction of paracetamol and mass dispersion analyzes of tablets: comparing generic and brand name drugs in undergraduate experiment

Abstract

Medicines are employed in undergraduate courses as motivational strategy. The experiment herein developed compares the extraction of paracetamol from generic and brand name drugs. Tablets were used from two commercial sources purchased from local drugstores. Twenty tablets of each drug type were individually weighed to average weight analysis and mass dispersion was statistically analyzed in simulating of quality control. Average weight had variation in accordance with the limit of ±5% specified by Brazilian Pharmacopeia. Tablets of each drug were pulverized and extracted in triplicate with ethyl acetate, and the active ingredient was obtained and identified by melting point and FTIR analyzes. Comparing different student groups at different times, there was change in the mass of paracetamol extracted by a simple extraction, affording mass recovery in the range of 59±17% to 28±1%. However, mass recovery of paracetamol extraction of generic and brand name drugs was similar in each student group. Under Soxhlet extraction condition mass recovery was 80-85%. The procedure developed was adequate to undergraduate laboratory, involves simple infrastructure and execution, tablets are easily obtained, and allows discussion on pharmaceutical equivalence and interchangeability.