In-vitro Comparative Study of Leading Brands of Ciprofloxacin Tablets 500mg in Taiz City, Yemen

Ciprofloxacin is commonly used in Yemen and widely available in both imported and locally manufactured tablet forms. Although these products contain the same labeled dosage, differences in manufacturing quality may influence their therapeutic efficacy. This study aimed to perform an in-vitro comparative analysis of ten brands of ciprofloxacin 500 mg tablets (six imported and four local), collected from pharmacies in Taiz city, using pharmacopeial quality control tests. Physicochemical parameters assessed included appearance, weight variation, hardness, thickness, friability, disintegration time, dissolution profile, and drug content. Results were evaluated against United States Pharmacopeia (USP) and British Pharmacopeia (BP) standards. All brands complied with USP specifications for weight uniformity, friability, and disintegration time. Assay results ranged from 90.34% to 101.30%; while all brands met USP requirements, four brands (F3, F5, F8, and F10) did not satisfy the BP minimum limit. Dissolution testing revealed that only four brands (F1, F2, F6, and F9) released more than 80% of the drug within 45 minutes, in accordance with USP standards. Overall, the in-vitro evaluation showed that most brands, including locally produced tablets, met key pharmacopeial quality standards. These findings support the use of local products as cost effective alternatives to imported brands. Further in-vivo studies are recommended to confirm bioequivalence and therapeutic consistency.