Analytical Method Development Strategies for Metformin in Combined Drug Formulations: A Review
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.22159/ijcr.2026v10i4.347Keywords:
Analytical methods, Metformin, HPLC, Chromatography, Combination drugs, Method validationAbstract
Metformin is a widely used oral antihyperglycemic agent and a first-line therapy for the management of type 2 diabetes mellitus, particularly in patients with obesity. Owing to its extensive clinical use, the development of reliable analytical methods for its quantification in bulk drugs, pharmaceutical formulations, and biological matrices is essential. This review compiles and critically evaluates various analytical techniques reported for the estimation of metformin, both as a single drug and in combination with other antidiabetic agents. The discussed methods include high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), ultra-performance liquid chromatography (UPLC), high-performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC), UV–visible spectrophotometry, and liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS). Among these, HPLC and LC–MS/MS methods are most widely employed due to their high sensitivity, specificity, and reproducibility. This review aims to assist researchers in selecting appropriate analytical techniques and highlights the need for developing cost-effective, rapid, and environmentally sustainable methods.
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