An efficient and simultaneous analysis of caffeine and paracetamol in pharmaceutical formulations using TLC with a fluorescence plate reader.

A simple, rapid, and efficient method using TLC with a fluorescence plate reader has been described for simultaneous determination of caffeine and paracetamol. Determination was carried out using the fluorescence-quenching action of caffeine and paracetamol on a TLC plate with a fluorescent indicator at lambda ex = 254 nm in the linear ranges of 0.2-1.9 and 0.03-1.5 microg/L, respectively. Separation of caffeine and paracetamol were performed on the TLC plate, and the best results were obtained using the optimized mobile phase n-hexane-ethyl acetate-ethanol (2.5 + 1.5 + 0.4, v/v). Some important parameters, such as solvent type and ratio of the mobile phase, the presence of other components, and instrumental parameters, were studied. Caffeine and paracetamol detection limits were 0.025 and 0.032 microg/L, and RSD values for 0.6 microg/L caffeine and 0.06 microg/L paracetamol (n = 5) were 1.93 and 2.06%, respectively. Using this technique, some pharmaceuticals containing caffeine and paracetamol were analyzed with satisfactory results.