Development of an eco‐friendly fluorescent probe for mefenamic acid sensing in pharmaceuticals and biofluids

• Published in: Luminescence (Chichester, England) Vol. 39; no. 7; pp. e4819 - n/a
• Main Authors: El Azab, Noha F., Alqirsh, Sherin M., Magdy, Nancy, Abdel‐Ghany, Maha F.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Wiley Subscription Services, Inc 01.07.2024
• Subjects: Acids; Analgesics; Fluorescence; Fluorescence spectroscopy; Fluorescent Dyes - chemical synthesis; Fluorescent Dyes - chemistry; Fluorescent indicators; Humans; Limit of Detection; Mathematical analysis; Mefenamic acid; Mefenamic Acid - analysis; Mefenamic Acid - chemistry; Mefenamic Acid - urine; Molecular Structure; NSAIDs; Pain; Pharmaceutical Preparations - analysis; Pharmaceutical Preparations - chemistry; Pharmaceuticals; plasma; Quenching; Spectrometry, Fluorescence; synchronous fluorescence; urine; Wavelength; plasma; quenching; urine; NSAIDs; synchronous fluorescence; mefenamic acid
• ISSN: 1522-7235; 1522-7243; 1522-7243
• DOI: 10.1002/bio.4819

Mefenamic acid, renowned for its analgesic properties, stands as a reliable choice for alleviating mild to moderate pain. However, its versatility extends beyond pain relief, with ongoing research unveiling its promising therapeutic potential across diverse domains. A straightforward, environmentally friendly, and sensitive spectrofluorometric technique has been developed for the precise quantification of the analgesic medication, mefenamic acid. This method relies on the immediate reduction of fluorescence emitted by a probe upon interaction with varying concentrations of the drug. The fluorescent probe utilized, N‐phenyl‐1‐naphthylamine (NPNA), was synthesized in a single step, and the fluorescence intensities were measured at 480 nm using synchronous fluorescence spectroscopy with a wavelength difference of 200 nm. Temperature variations and lifetime studies indicated that the quenching process was static. The calibration curve exhibited linearity within the concentration range of 0.50–9.00 μg/mL, with a detection limit of 60.00 ng/mL. Various experimental parameters affecting the quenching process were meticulously examined and optimized. The proposed technique was successfully applied to determine mefenamic acid in pharmaceutical formulations, plasma, and urine, yielding excellent recoveries ranging from 98% to 100.5%. The greenness of the developed method was evaluated using three metrics: the Analytical Eco‐scale, AGREE, and the Green Analytical Procedure Index. A single‐step prepared fluorescent probe, N‐phenyl‐1‐naphthylamine, was developed for mefenamic acid determination achieving a low detection limit of 60.00 ng/mL. The technique was applied to dosage forms and biological fluids showing excellent recoveries ranging from 98% to 100.5%. Environmental sustainability was evaluated through the Analytical Eco‐scale, Analytical GREEnness, and the Green Analytical Procedure Index.