EFFECTS OF DOMESTIC STORAGE CONDITIONS ON THE PHYSICAL INTEGRITY AND ASSAY OF IBUPROFEN TABLETS

Abstract

Improper domestic storage of medicines may compromise product quality and patient safety, particularly for over-the-counter drugs. This study evaluated the effects of different household storage conditions on the physical integrity and assay of ibuprofen tablets over six months. Tablets were stored in four environments—bedroom, bathroom, kitchen, and car—across five households and analyzed at three time points. Visual inspection and titrimetric assay were performed according to the Brazilian Pharmacopoeia. Physical alterations, including cracking, capping, brittleness, and powder detachment, were mainly observed in tablets kept inside vehicles, indicating greater susceptibility to mechanical and thermal stress. The initial assay showed ibuprofen content above the pharmacopeial upper limit, suggesting baseline non-compliance before domestic exposure. During the study, no progressive reduction in active pharmaceutical ingredient content was detected under any condition. Although statistically significant variations over time were found (two-way ANOVA, p < 0.05), no consistent decreasing trend indicative of chemical degradation was identified. These findings indicate that domestic storage may impair the physical stability of ibuprofen tablets without measurable loss of assay content by a pharmacopeial titrimetric method, underscoring the need for quality monitoring and public education on proper storage practices.