title: Assessment of stability of ketamine-xylazine preparations with or without acepromazine using high performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry.
abstract: The objective of this study was to evaluate the stability of 3 distinct preparations of ketamine and xylazine, with or without acepromazine, stored at room temperature or at 4°C for 1, 2, and 3 mo. Drug concentrations were compared to fresh solutions, using a high performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry/selected-ion monitoring (HPLC-MS/SIM) assay. The concentrations of ketamine and xylazine, diluted in physiological saline, did not change over time at room temperature or at 4°C. However, acepromazine concentrations decreased over time when stored at room temperature. In contrast, undiluted ketamine-xylazine preparations gradually decreased in concentration when stored at room temperature. All of the drug concentrations remained above 90% of their original concentration when stored at 4°C. In conclusion, when diluted in physiological saline, ketamine-xylazine cocktails can be stored for 3 mo, whereas undiluted cocktails can lose efficacy over 3 mo at room temperature. Storage at 4°C could preserve drug stability.
authors.affiliation: Département de biomédecine vétérinaire, Faculté de médecine vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, 3200 Sicotte, Saint-Hyacinthe, Québec J2S 2M2.
authors.forename: Aurore
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dodelet-Devillers
authors.affiliation: Département de biomédecine vétérinaire, Faculté de médecine vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, 3200 Sicotte, Saint-Hyacinthe, Québec J2S 2M2.
authors.forename: Chiara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zullian
authors.affiliation: Département de biomédecine vétérinaire, Faculté de médecine vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, 3200 Sicotte, Saint-Hyacinthe, Québec J2S 2M2.
authors.forename: Pascal
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Vachon
authors.affiliation: Département de biomédecine vétérinaire, Faculté de médecine vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, 3200 Sicotte, Saint-Hyacinthe, Québec J2S 2M2.
authors.forename: Francis
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Beaudry
mesh_terms: D000075:Acepromazine / Q000737:chemistry*; D000778:Anesthetics, Dissociative / Q000737:chemistry*; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000737:chemistry*; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D004338:Drug Combinations; D004355:Drug Stability; D004356:Drug Storage; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives / Q000737:chemistry*; D007649:Ketamine / Q000737:chemistry*; D013696:Temperature; D014991:Xylazine / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D000778:Anesthetics, Dissociative; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D004338:Drug Combinations; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives; D014991:Xylazine; D000075:Acepromazine; D007649:Ketamine