Chromatographic behaviour of naproxen–cyclodextrin complexes: Stationary phase C8 alkyl chain as competitor for the drug release from cyclodextrin cavity

Cyclodextrins are known to alter the absorptivity of the guest molecules, therefore, analytical methods that are based on the spectrophotometric data present accuracy problems. In this work, using RP-HPLC methods for naproxen–cyclodextrins quantitation, extensive analytical inaccuracies are detected. Competitive complexation technique is utilised in an attempt to develop an analytical method enabling the determination of naproxen as a free drug. For this reason, stationary phases with silica ligands that can function as competing agents were used, thus contributing to the drug release. The release of the drug from cyclodextrins complexes is achieved by modification of the thermodynamic parameters that determine the stability constant, by changing: the interactions with the mobile phase components (e.g. pH, organic modifier, competitive agents) and the interactions with the stationary phase ligands (C8). After studying the parameters affecting the interaction between the alkyl-chain C8 and naproxen:cyclodextrin complexes, we developed and validated a new specific method for the accurate determination of the drug. Consecutive accumulation of the cyclodextrins molecules on the stationary phase was studied.