• British Pharmacopoeia Volume III
  • Formulated Preparations: Specific Monographs

Temazepam Oral Solution

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General Notices
Action and use

Benzodiazepine.

Definition

Temazepam Oral Solution is a solution of Temazepam in a suitable flavoured vehicle.

The oral solution complies with the requirements stated under Oral Liquids and with the following requirements.

Content of temazepam, C16H13ClN2O2

90.0  to 110.0% of the stated amount.

Identification

A.  Dilute a quantity of the oral solution with sufficient 0.1m methanolic hydrochloric acid to produce a solution containing 0.001% w/v of Temazepam. The light absorption of the resulting solution, Appendix II B, in the range 210  to 400  nm exhibits three maxima, at 238  nm, 283  nm and 358  nm.

B.  Carry out the method for thin-layer chromatography, Appendix III A, using a silica gel F254 precoated plate (Merck silica gel 60 F254 plates are suitable) and a mixture of 50  volumes of cyclohexane, 40  volumes of chloroform and 10  volumes of diethylamine as the mobile phase. Apply separately to the plate 2 µl of each of the following solutions. For solution (1) add 5  ml of water to a quantity of the oral solution containing 10  mg of Temazepam and extract with two 10-ml quantities of ether. Evaporate the combined ether extracts almost to dryness and dissolve the residue in 2  ml of acetone. Solution (2) contains 0.5% w/v of temazepam BPCRS in acetone. After removal of the plate, allow it to dry in air and examine under ultraviolet light (254  nm). The principal spot in the chromatogram obtained with solution (1) corresponds to that in the chromatogram obtained with solution (2).

C.  In the Assay, the chromatogram obtained with solution (2) exhibits a peak with the same retention time as that due to temazepam in the chromatogram obtained with solution (1).

Tests
Alkalinity

pH, 7.3  to 8.3, Appendix V L.

6-Chloro-1,4-dihydro-1-methyl-4-phenylquinazolin-4-ol

Carry out the method for thin-layer chromatography, Appendix III A, using a silica gel precoated plate (Merck silica gel 60 F254 plates are suitable) and a mixture of 92.5  volumes of chloroform and 7.5  volumes of methanol as the mobile phase but allowing the solvent front to ascend 12  cm above the line of application. Apply separately to the plate 10 µl of each of the following solutions. For solution (1) add 5  ml of water to a quantity of the oral solution containing 10  mg of Temazepam and extract with two 10  ml quantities of ether. Evaporate the combined ether extracts almost to dryness and dissolve the residue in 1  ml of acetone. Solution (2) contains 0.010% w/v of 6-chloro-1,4-dihydro-1-methyl-4-phenylquinazolin-4-ol BPCRS. After removal of the plate, allow it to dry in a current of warm air and examine under ultraviolet light (365  nm). In the chromatogram obtained with solution (1) any spot corresponding to 6-chloro-1,4-dihydro-1-methyl-4-phenylquinazolin-4-ol is not more intense than the spot in the chromatogram obtained with solution (2).

5-Chloro-2-methylaminobenzophenone

Carry out the method for liquid chromatography, Appendix III D, using the following solutions. Solution (1) contains 0.00050% w/v of 5-chloro-2-methylaminobenzophenone BPCRS in methanol (50%). For solution (2) dilute a quantity of the oral solution with sufficient methanol (50%) to produce a solution containing 0.020% w/v of Temazepam.

The chromatographic procedure may be carried out using (a) a stainless steel column (25  cm × 5  mm) packed with end-capped octadecylsilyl silica gel for chromatography (5 µm) (Lichrosorb RP-18 is suitable), (b) a mixture of 75  volumes of methanol, 25  volumes of water and 0.03  volume of diethylamine as the mobile phase with a flow rate of 1.5  ml per minute and (c) a detection wavelength of 254  nm.

In the chromatogram obtained with solution (2) the area of any peak corresponding to 5-chloro-2-methylaminobenzophenone is not greater than the area of the peak in the chromatogram obtained with solution (1).

Assay

Carry out the method for liquid chromatography, Appendix III D, using the following solutions. Solution (1) contains 0.02% w/v of temazepam BPCRS in methanol (50%). For solution (2) add sufficient methanol (50%) to a weighed quantity of the oral solution containing 20  mg of Temazepam to produce 100  ml.

The chromatographic procedure may be carried out using (a) a stainless steel column (20  cm × 4.6  mm) packed with end-capped octadecylsilyl silica gel for chromatography (5 µm) (Hypersil ODS is suitable), (b) a mixture of 60  volumes of methanol, 40  volumes of water and 0.03  volumes of diethylamine as the mobile phase with a flow rate of 2  ml per minute and (c) a detection wavelength of 254  nm.

Determine the weight per ml of the oral solution, Appendix V G, and calculate the content of C16H13ClN2O2, weight in volume, using the declared content of C16H13ClN2O2 in temazepam BPCRS.

Storage

Temazepam Oral Solution should be protected from light.