Analysis structure of paracetamol in traditional drugs with fourier transform infrared (FTIR)

The increasing consumption of traditional medicines in Indonesia has raised major safety concerns due to the adulteration of herbal products with pharmaceutical chemicals such as paracetamol. Such practices are carried out illegally to enhance therapeutic effects, yet they violate national regulations and pose serious health risks. This study aimed to investigated the presence of undeclared paracetamol in traditional medicine samples using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. Two herbal samples (Sample A and Sample B) were analyzed in the spectral range of 400–4000 cm⁻¹ and compared with a paracetamol reference standard. Characteristic absorption bands of paracetamol were identified at 3300-3600 cm⁻¹ (O–H), 31003500 cm⁻¹ (N–H), 1600-1820 cm⁻¹ (C=O), 1475-1600 cm⁻¹ (aromatic C=C), and 1375-1450 cm⁻¹ (CH₃). The spectrum of Sample A showed no evidence of these key bands, indicating the absence of paracetamol. In contrast, Sample B exhibited strong concordance with the reference, including distinct peaks at 3396 cm⁻¹ (O–H), 3232 cm⁻¹ (N–H), 1616 cm⁻¹ (C=O), and 1436 cm⁻¹ (CH₃), confirming adulteration. Sample A was free of paracetamol, whereas Sample B contained it, pointing to the need for stricter quality control of traditional medicines. FTIR offers a rapid and practical screening method, but confirmatory techniques or quantitative analytical techniques such as thin layer chromatography (TLC), UV–visible spectrophotometry, and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) remain essential to ensure accuracy and consumer safety are still required to ensure accurate results and consumer safety.