Assessment of the stability of teicoplanin in intravenous infusions.

The advance preparation of intravenous solutions of teicoplanin, which is often used in antibiotic infusions for hospitalized patients, may be advantageous. The objective of this study was to investigate the stability of teicoplanin stored at 4 deg C in polyvinyl chloride bags to determine whether such solutions could be safely stored without deterioration. Five bags containing 0.4g teicoplanin per 100 mL of 5 % dextrose injection were studied for 1 month by means of high-performance liquid chromatography, visual inspection, and pH measurement. The color of teicoplanin diluted in dextrose became slightly yellow, and the pH values of the preparations decreased significantly during the period of the study without affecting the chromatographic parameters. The teicoplanin solution was stable for 6 days at 4 deg C as a result of the shortest shelf life of 90% residual potency of the five major glycopeptide components. Despite the color and pH variations, the teicoplanin infusion remained chemically stable when stored up to 6 days at 4 deg C in polyvinyl chloride bags. Thus the infusion could be prepared in advance by a centralized intravenous admixture service for use within the limits described.