Determination of Chemical Stability of the diabetes drug, Metformin Using UV-VIS and FT-IR Methods

Authors

  • Soad H. Alsoul Chemistry Department, Faculty of Art and Science, Elmergib University, Gaser Kiar, Libya Author
  • Lutfiyah A. Rahouma Chemistry Department, Faculty of Art and Science, Elmergib University, Gaser Kiar, Libya Author
  • Najwa S . A Bin Sallam Libyan Polymer Research Center Tajoura, Tripoli, Libya Author

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.65420/sjphrt.v2i3.183

Keywords:

Metformin hydrochloride, chemical stability, UV-Visible spectroscopy, FT-IR spectroscopy, Beer-Lambert law, thermal exposure, pharmaceutical analysis

Abstract

Metformin hydrochloride is taken as a medicine for diabetes. Its chemical form needs to stay stable while it sits in storage. If it changes, the final tablet may lose quality. So, this work checked how stable metformin was after short heat periods. Two lab tools were used. These were ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy. For the test, twenty Metformal tablets were ground into powder. Then a weighed amount of 110.92 mg was mixed with deionized water. The mixture was brought up to 100 mL to form a stock solution at a nominal strength of 1000 ppm. After that, a 100-ppm working standard was made for the spectral runs. UV-Visible data were collected at the maximum analytical wavelength of 233 nm for concentrations from 0 to 60 ppm. Absorbance rose as concentration increased. This made it possible to build a Beer-Lambert type calibration line. The same 233 nm wavelength was identified for the unheated sample and for the sample exposed to 70°C. For the heat stress, the solid tablets were placed at 30°C for 30 days, at 50°C for 14 days, and at 70°C for 24 hours. Samples were then prepared and checked. FT-IR spectra were also recorded. The goal was to compare the main functional group peaks from the unheated material with the peaks from the heat-treated samples. By combining the UV-Visible concentration check with the FT-IR structural scan, the study could track changes linked to concentration and also look for shifts in the molecular vibration pattern. Overall, the results give a workable stability check for metformin tablets under controlled intermittent heating. It also supports the idea of using paired spectroscopic methods in routine pharmaceutical quality testing.

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Published

2026-09-17

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How to Cite

Soad H. Alsoul, Lutfiyah A. Rahouma, & Najwa S . A Bin Sallam. (2026). Determination of Chemical Stability of the diabetes drug, Metformin Using UV-VIS and FT-IR Methods. Scientific Journal for Publishing in Health Research and Technology, 2(3), 248-263. https://doi.org/10.65420/sjphrt.v2i3.183

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