title: The long term stability of mechlorethamine hydrochloride (nitrogen mustard) ointment measured by HPLC.
abstract: HPLC has been applied to determine the stability of mechlorethamine hydrochloride (nitrogen mustard) formulated as an ointment in white soft paraffin (10 mg drug, 50 g paraffin and 1 mL acetone). A new solubilization technique is described for extraction of the drug from the ointment for HPLC analysis which has an extraction efficiency of 76.1% with a coefficient of variation of 10.4%. Stored at 4 degrees C the drug content of the ointment remained stable for at least 84 days and stored at 37 degrees C the drug content remained stable for at least 40 days. In comparison aqueous solutions of mechlorethamine at the same concentration, fully degraded after 4 days. These data will aid hospital pharmacists decide on a standardized protocol for the controlled usage of the ointment which is both safe and cost-effective.
authors.affiliation: Imperial Cancer Research Fund, Medical Oncology Unit, Western General Hospital, Edinburgh, UK.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cummings
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: MacLellan
authors.forename: S J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Langdon
authors.forename: J F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Smyth
mesh_terms: D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D004355:Drug Stability; D008466:Mechlorethamine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry; D009823:Ointment Bases; D009824:Ointments; D010232:Paraffin
chemical_list: D009823:Ointment Bases; D009824:Ointments; D008466:Mechlorethamine; D010232:Paraffin