A validated Ultra High Pressure Liquid Chromatographic method for the characterisation of confiscated illegal slimming products containing anorexics

A fully validated UHPLC–DAD method for the identification and quantification of pharmaceutical preparations, containing molecules frequently found in illegal slimming products (sibutramine, modafinil, ephedrine, nor-ephedrine, metformin, theophyllin, caffeine, diethylpropion and orlistat) was developed. The proposed method uses a Vision HT C18-B column (2 mm × 100 mm, 1.5 μm) with a gradient using an ammonium acetate buffer pH 5.0 as aqueous phase and acetonitrile as organic modifier. The obtained method was fully validated based on its measurement uncertainty (accuracy profile). Calibration lines for all components were linear within the studied ranges. The relative bias and the relative standard deviations for all components were respectively smaller than 3.0% and 1.5%, the β-expectation tolerance limits did not exceed the acceptance limits of 10% and the relative expanded uncertainties were smaller than 3% for all of the considered components.A UHPLC–DAD method was obtained for the identification and quantification of these kind of pharmaceutical preparations, which will significantly reduce analysis times and workload for the laboratories charged with the quality control of these preparations and which can, if necessary, be coupled to a MS-detector for a more thorough characterisation.

► We developed an UHPLC method for molecules present in illegal slimming products.
► The method was validated for quantification following ISO17025.
► β-Expectation tolerance intervals for all molecules were within tolerance limits.
► All relative expanded uncertainties were lower than 3%.