DEVELOPMENT AND OPTIMIZATION OF A QUALITY BY DESIGN-DRIVEN HPLC METHOD FOR CURCUMIN QUANTIFICATION

The research study involves development and validation of a robust RP-HPLC technique for curcumin quantification using Analytical Quality by Design (AQbD). Key method parameters such as composition of mobile phase, temperature of column, and flow rate were optimized using a 33 -level factorial design. The method performance was evaluated based on chromatographic attributes, which include number of theoretical plates, peak area, retention time, and height equivalent to a theoretical plate. Various optimal conditions were identified within the experimental space through numerical and graphical analysis. Validation confirmed high accuracy and precision, with recoveries between 98.23% and 101.37% and RSD within ±2%. The method showed a linear relationship between curcumin concentration (5-25 µg mL-1) and detector response. Sensitivity assessment revealed detection and quantification limits of 1.16 µg mL-1 and 0.38 µg mL-1, respectively.