DETECTION OF LEVOCETIRIZINE INTERACTIONS WITH NSAIDS BY SPECTROPHOTOMETRIC TECHNIQUE

Abstract

Levocetirizine, a levorotatory enantiomer of anti-histamine cetirizine, available as hydrochloride and useful in the management of intermittent or persistent allergic rhinitis and hay fever. Levocetirizine may interact different drugs including NSAIDswhich may cause severe adverse effects as a result of drug interactions. UV spectroscopy is a precise and applicable method with less time consumption for the calibration curve study, quantification of drugs and also to estimate drug availability alone or in the presence of another drug. In the present study, levocetirizine, diclofenac sodium, flurbiprofen, mefenamic acid and meloxicam (reference standards) were submitted for calibration curve studies, lonequantification and finally percentavailability after drug interaction of levocetirizine with diclofenac sodium, flurbiprofen, mefenamic acid and meloxicam at pH 4, 7.4 and 9 whichmight resulted in increased, decreased or even loss of availability of the drugs. Diclofenac sodium decreased availability of levocetirizine up to 0.0% at pH 4 and 9 but increased at pH 7.4. On the other hand, levocetirizine decreased percent availability of diclofenac sodium by 4.9% pH4 but increased 170% and 206.57 % at pH 7.4 and 9.Flurbiprofen interactions with levocetrizine in different buffers and showed significant rise in availability of levocetirizine in all pH but showed significant decreased availability of flurbiprofin in three buffers. Mefenamic acid caused decreased in pH 7.4 but increased in pH 9. However, availability of mefenamic acid was decreased in both pH. Although, availability of levocetirizine doesn’t seem to be effected a lot in the presence of meloxicam but meloxicam was significantly decreased in pH 4 and 7.4. Further, in vivo studies should be conducted to ensure and avoid the adverse effects as result of these interactions. Precaution should be taken and co-administration of levocetirizine with NDSAIDs should be avoided and time duration between these drugs taken should be adjusted.