Cefoxitin sodium compatibility with intravenous infusions and additives

The compatibility and stability of cefoxitin sodium in solution with a series of frequently used intravenous infusion fluids and injectable additives were studied. Cefoxitin sodium's stability in various solutions was measured by ultraviolet spectrophotometry, iodometry, thin-layer chromatography, high-pressure liquid chromatography, ion-exchange chromatography and microbiological assay. Cefoxitin sodium was shown to maintain 90% of its initial concentration in aqueous solution for 40 hours at room temperature (25 C) and about 30 days at 5 C. The stability of cefoxitin sodium in common i.v. infusion fluids was independent of the concentrations (1 mg/ml to 400 mg/ml) and containers used, and was retained after 30 weeks storage at -20 C. Similar stability patterns were demonstrated for cefoxitin sodium in protein hydrolysate solutions and multivitamin formulations. Cefoxitin sodium was chemically and visually compatible with amikacin sulfate, gentamicin sulfate, kanamycin sulfate and tobramycin sulfate when admixed with normal saline or 5% dextrose in water injections. Cefoxitin sodium (397 mg/ml) in 0.5% lidocaine hydrochloride was stable after 26 weeks of storage at -20 C. Sodium cefoxitin is compatible with a wide variety of commonly used infusion solutions. Its stability is independent of concentration or pH within the ranges studied, and of types of common containers.