Identification and structural characterization of major degradation products of tapentadol by using liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry

Abstract

Tapentadol, a centrally acting analgesic was subjected to hydrolysis (acidic, alkaline, and neutral), oxidation, photolysis, humidity, and thermal stress conditions as per International Conference on Harmonization prescribed guidelines. Tapentadol was found susceptible to oxidative stress that produced two major degradation products DP-I and DP-II. However, it was stable to hydrolysis, photolysis, and thermal stress conditions. A simple, sensitive, and accurate high-performance liquid chromatography stability-indicating assay method (liquid chromatography–mass spectrometer compatible) was developed and validated for identification and characterization of stressed degradation products of Tapentadol. The chromatographic separation of the drug and its degradation products were achieved on Inertsil ODS, C18 (250 �4.6 mm, i.d., 5 μm) column using a 12.5 mM aqueous ammonium acetate buffer (with 0.2% triethyl amine and final pH of buffer was adjusted to 3.60 with glacial acetic acid): acetonitrile (75:25, v/v) as a mobile phase. The degradation products were characterized by liquid chromatography mass spectrometry and subsequently its fragmentation pathway as well as plausible mechanism for generation of degradation products was also proposed. The stability indicating highperformance liquid chromatographic method was validated with respect to linearity, precision, and accuracy.