Determination of free bile acids in pharmaceuticals by thin layer chromatography and high performance liquid chromatography.

High-performance liquid chromatography with evaporative light scattering detection (HPLC-ELSD) and thin layer chromatography with flame ionization detection (TLC-FID) have been applied to the separation of five main free bile acids present in humans: cholic (CA), chenodeoxycholic (CDCA), deoxycholic (DCA), lithocholic (LCA) and ursodeoxycholic (UDCA) acid. HPLC separation was performed on Biospher Si 100 column using a mixture of n-heptane, isopropanol, ethylacetate, methanol and glacial acetic acid as a mobile phase. All the compounds were separated in less than 12 minutes by using a gradient elution mode. TLC-FID separation was performed on S-II Chromarods with a mixture of isooctane, ethylacetate and glacial acetic acid as a mobile phase. HPLC-ELSD method was applied to the determination of CDCA and UDCA in pharmaceuticals and their purity control when LCA, DCA and CA were considered as impurities.