Tretinoin (all-trans-retinoic acid)

Tretinoin: retinoid.

Tretinoin testing at Vanguard Laboratory: identity, purity and quantity $250 per sample, with results in 3 to 5 business days.

Structure

Tretinoin: 2D structure drawn from the PubChem record (CID 444795).

Compound data

CAS number

302-79-4

Formula

C₂₀H₂₈O₂

Molecular weight

300.44 g/mol

Type

Retinoid

Structure and names

Identity: Tretinoin

IUPAC name: (2E,4E,6E,8E)-3,7-dimethyl-9-(2,6,6-trimethylcyclohexen-1-yl)nona-2,4,6,8-tetraenoic acid

How Vanguard tests Tretinoin

Method for the $250 identity, purity and quantity test: HPLC-UV purity and assay, LC-MS identity, against a reference standard, with results in 3 to 5 business days.

The USP monograph covers identity by infrared and UV spectroscopy, assay by titration, an isotretinoin limit by HPLC, residue on ignition and loss on drying. Full testing to the USP Tretinoin monograph is available and quoted.

What's reported

Purity, as percent of total peak area
Quantity, against the label claim
Identity, reported as match or no match against the reference standard
With monograph testing (quoted): the monograph’s tests against its limits

Tests and prices

Purity and quantity

$250

Chromatographic purity and mg per unit by the method matched to the compound, identity against a reference standard. 1 unit.

Raw powder purity

$200

Chromatographic purity on bulk powder. 50 mg.

Add-on tests

Add-on test	Price
Identity and impurities
FTIR identity	$90
CHNS elemental analysis (carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, sulfur)	$125
Chiral purity (where a chiral method exists; new methods quoted)	$250
Water, solvents and salt form
Water content by Karl Fischer	$60
Residual solvents	$150
Counterions: chloride, acetate and TFA	$70
Assay
Assay, % w/w (with raw powder purity; $250 together)	+$50
Metals and conformity
Heavy metals: arsenic, cadmium, chromium, mercury and lead	$150
Conformity: purity and quantity on more units from the same lot	$100 per extra unit
Microbiology (injectables)
Endotoxin	$210
Sterility or bioburden	$150
Container closure integrity (CCI)	$50
Screening
Fentanyl screen	$50

10% off for 10 or more samples.

Need something else? Other tests are available on request.

Sample amount and turnaround

Purity and quantity is $250 per sample (1 unit) and raw powder purity is $200 for 50 mg, with results in 3 to 5 business days. Send the material sealed and labeled, with the label claim and the form it contains.

Salts, forms and compendial references

Tretinoin (CAS 302-79-4)
Tell us the salt or form the label states, so quantity is reported on the same basis.

Questions about Tretinoin testing

Is the $250 test the same as USP monograph testing?

No. The $250 test covers identity, purity and quantity by HPLC with UV detection for purity and assay, and LC-MS for identity. Full testing to the USP Tretinoin monograph is available and quoted.

Why is tretinoin light sensitive?

Light converts all-trans tretinoin into other isomers, mainly isotretinoin (13-cis). The monograph uses low-actinic glassware, and samples should be shipped in the dark.

Can HPLC tell tretinoin from isotretinoin?

Yes. They have the same mass, so LC-MS alone cannot separate them, but HPLC resolves the isomers by retention time. The isotretinoin level is a useful sign of light or heat exposure.

What forms does tretinoin come in?

As a yellow powder or in creams and gels at low strength. Finished products need extraction under low light.

Sources

https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/444795

Identity facts from the USP monograph header for this compound.

Order

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