Quantitative evaluation of mefenamic acid polymorphs by terahertz–chemometrics

ABSTRACT The purpose of the present study is to measure polymorphic content in a bulk powder, mefenamic acid polymorph of pharmaceuticals, as a model drug by THz-spectrometer using frequency-tunable THz wave generators based on difference-frequency generation in gallium phosphate crystals. Mefenamic acid polymorphic forms I and II were obtained by recrystallisation. Eleven standard samples varying a various polymorphic form I content (0–100%) were prepared by physical mixing. After smoothing and area normalising, the THz-spectra of all standard samples showed an isosbestic point at 3.70 THz. After the THz-spectral data sets were arranged into five frequency ranges, and pretreated using various functions, calibration models were calculated by the partial least square regression method. The effect of spectral data management on the chemometric parameters of the calibration models was investigated. The relationship between predicted and actual form I content was the best linear plot. On the regression vector (RV) that corresponded to absorption THz-spectral data, the peak at 1.45 THz was the highest value, and the peak at 2.25 THz was the lowest on RV. THz-spectroscopy with chemometrics would be useful for the quantitative evaluation of mefenamic acid polymorphs in the pharmaceutical industry. This method is expected to provide a rapid and nondestructive quantitative analysis of polymorphs. © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association J Pharm Sci 99:4048-4053, 2010