Separation and identification of non-steroidal antirheumatic drugs containing a free carboxyl function using high-performance liquid chromatography.

Different methods for the separation and identification of eighteen non-steroidal antirheumatics (non-steroidal, anti-inflammatory drugs) and the application of these methods for systematic toxicological analysis are reviewed. A method for separating these compounds by high-performance liquid chromatography using an RP-18 column and mixtures of acetonitrile and acetate buffers as eluents is presented and the detectability of these substances with respect to their different UV maxima is discussed.