Application of Isothermal Differential Scanning Calorimetry Equipped with a UV Probe for Photostability Assessment of Pharmaceutical Drugs in the Solid State

Current methods for evaluating the photostability of pharmaceutical drugs typically separate the irradiation step from the analytical process, making it challenging to observe real-time photodegradation during irradiation. The use of HPLC equipped with UV and/or MS detectors, which are commonly used for quantitative analysis, requires considerable time to establish optimal conditions, and employs organic solvents, which are harmful to both the environment and the analyst. The aim of this study is to investigate the effectiveness of isothermal differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) equipped with a UV probe (photo-DSC) for evaluating the photostability of pharmaceutical drugs in the solid state. The response to light irradiation varies for different drugs, with some drugs exhibiting a thermal history showing endothermic behavior. To confirm the results of the endothermic reaction in photo-DSC, the percentage of the drug remaining after photo-irradiation was quantified using HPLC. Drugs that exhibited endothermic peaks consistently showed a decrease in residuals due to the photolysis reaction. In this study, we highlight the effectiveness of photo-DSC in evaluating the susceptibility of different drugs to photodegradation.