TEST1
Adsorbent:
0.25-mm layer of chromatographic silica gel mixture.
Test solution
Prepare a solution of Norethindrone Acetate in chloroform having a concentration of 10mg per mL.
Standard solutions
Dilute accurately measured volumes of the Standard stock solutionwith chloroform to obtain Standard solutions A,B,C,and Dhaving known concentrations of 150µg per mL,50µg per mL,30µg per mL,and 10µg per mL,respectively.
Application volume:
10µL,as two 5-µLportions.
Developing solvent system:
a mixture of toluene and ethyl acetate (1:1).
Procedure
Proceed as directed for
Thin-Layer Chromatographyunder
Chromatography á621ñ,except to apply the solutions along a line 2.5cm from the edge of the plate.Spray the plate with a mixture of methanol and sulfuric acid (7:3),and heat at 100

for 5minutes.The
Test solutionexhibits a principal spot at the same
RFvalue as the principal spot of
Standard solution A.Any individual secondary spot is not more intense than the spot in the chromatogram obtained from
Standard solution B:not more than 0.5%of any individual impurity is found.The sum of the intensities of all of the secondary spots is not more intense than the spot in the chromatogram obtained from
Standard solution A:not more than 1.5%of total impurities is found.
TEST2
Mobile phase
Prepare a filtered and degassed mixture of acetonitrile and water (6:4).Make adjustments if necessary (see
System Suitabilityunder
Chromatography á621ñ).
Resolution solution
Dissolve accurately weighed quantities of desoxycorticosterone acetate and
USP Norethindrone Acetate RSin
Mobile phaseto obtain a solution having concentrations of about 80µg of each per mL.
Test solution
Transfer about 62.5mg of Norethindrone Acetate,accurately weighed,to a 25-mLvolumetric flask,dissolve in and dilute with Mobile phaseto volume,and mix.
Diluted test solution
Transfer 1.0mLof the Test solutionto a 100-mLvolumetric flask,dilute with Mobile phaseto volume,and mix.
Chromatographic system (see Chromatography á621ñ)
The liquid chromatograph is equipped with a 254-nm detector and a 4.6-mm ×25-cm column that contains packing L1.The flow rate is about 1mLper minute.Chromatograph the
Resolution solution,and record the peak responses as directed for
Procedure:the relative retention times are about 0.83for desoxycorticosterone acetate and 1.0for norethindrone acetate;and the resolution,
R,between desoxycorticosterone acetate and norethindrone acetate is not less than 3.5.
Procedure
Separately inject equal volumes (about 20µL)of the
Diluted test solutionand the
Test solutioninto the chromatograph,record the chromatograms for twice the retention time of norethindrone acetate,and measure all of the peak areas.Calculate the percentage of each impurity in the portion of Norethindrone Acetate taken by the formula:
ri/rs,
in which
riis the peak area for each impurity obtained from the
Test solution;and
rsis the sum of all the peaks obtained from the
Diluted test solution.[NOTEExclude any peak having a response that is less than 0.025%of the norethindrone acetate peak response obtained from the
Test solution.]Not more than 0.5%of any individual impurity is found;and not more than 1.0%of total impurities is found.