Validated UPLC method for the determination of guaiphenesin, oxeladin citrate, diphenhydramine, and sodium benzoate in their quaternary mixture used in treatment of cough, in the presence of guaiphenesin-related substance (guaiacol)

Accurate, precise, and sensitive UPLC method was developed and validated for the simultaneous determination of a quaternary mixture containing guaiphenesin (GUP), oxeladin citrate (OXC), diphenhydramine (DPH), and sodium benzoate (SOB) in the presence of GUP-related substance, guaiacol (GUA). Chromatographic separation was achieved using NUCLEOSHELL® column—C18 (4.0 × 50.0 mm, 2.7 μm). Isocratic elution at a flow rate 1.0 mL/min was performed using a mobile phase consisting of acetonitrile:phosphate buffer pH 3.5 ± 0.1 (25.0:75.0, v/v). The specificity of the developed method was investigated by analyzing of laboratory-prepared mixtures containing different ratios of the four drugs, in the presence of GUA as well as their combined pharmaceutical formulation. The obtained results were statistically compared with those obtained by the official or reported methods, showing no significant difference with respect to accuracy and precision at p = 0.05.