title: Chemical stabilities of cefuroxime sodium and metronidazole in an admixture for intravenous infusion.
abstract: The chemical stabilities of cefuroxime sodium and metronidazole, when mixed together for intravenous infusion, were studied by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The critical factor in the stability of the admixture was the degradation of cefuroxime sodium. At 25 degrees C, cefuroxime degraded by first-order kinetics with a rate constant of 7.04 x 10(-2)/day and a t90 (time to reach 90% of the original concentration) of 36 h. At 4 degrees C the rate constant was 5.23 x 10(-3)/day with a t90 of 20 days, however, over the time-scale studied, the kinetics approximated to zero-order at this temperature. The mixture was also stable with respect to metronidazole, nitrite ion and appearance. A 7-day storage life at 4 degrees C can be given to the mixture.
authors.affiliation: Pharmaceutical Sciences Institute, Aston University, Birmingham, U.K.
authors.forename: A R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Barnes
mesh_terms: D002444:Cefuroxime / Q000032:analysis*; D002511:Cephalosporins / Q000032:analysis*; D002626:Chemistry, Pharmaceutical; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D004338:Drug Combinations; D004355:Drug Stability; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D007202:Indicators and Reagents; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D008795:Metronidazole / Q000032:analysis*; D009573:Nitrites / Q000032:analysis; D012996:Solutions; D013696:Temperature
chemical_list: D002511:Cephalosporins; D004338:Drug Combinations; D007202:Indicators and Reagents; D009573:Nitrites; D012996:Solutions; D008795:Metronidazole; D002444:Cefuroxime