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A stability indicating assay for a combination of morphine sulphate with levomepromazine hydrochloride used in palliative care
Author(s) -
AlTannak N. F.,
Cable C. G.,
McArthur D. A.,
Watson D. G.
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
journal of clinical pharmacy and therapeutics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.622
H-Index - 73
eISSN - 1365-2710
pISSN - 0269-4727
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2710.2011.01252.x
Subject(s) - levomepromazine , morphine , chromatography , hydrochloride , medicine , pharmacology , chemistry , anesthesia , organic chemistry , haloperidol , dopamine
Summary What is known and objective: Morphine is used routinely in clinical practice to manage moderate to severe pain, whereas levomepromazine is commonly used at low doses to manage intractable nausea and vomiting. While it has been reported that an injection combination of morphine sulphate (0·5 mg/mL) and levomepromazine (0·1 mg/mL) was physically compatible, data on the chemical stability of combinations of these drugs has not been reported. Thus, a method was required for the assessment of the stability of morphine sulphate/levomepromazine hydrochloride combinations. Methods: A high‐performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method was developed to assess the stability of the combinations. The injections were stored at 4 °C in the dark at room temperature under natural light and at 37 °C under artificial lighting. Results and Discussion: Morphine sulphate was stable under all storage conditions, but the degree of degradation of levomepromazine hydrochloride increased as the storage temperature increased. The disappearance of levomepromazine hydrochloride was correlated with the appearance of a sulphoxide degradant. What is new Conclusion: The injection combinations of morphine sulphate and levomepromazine hydrochloride were shown in the current study to have a limited storage life with respect to their levomepromazine hydrochloride content.