The effect of irradiation and heat on the content of adrenaline in commercially manufactured local anaesthetic solutions--a pilot study.

Carpules of commercially available local anaesthetic solutions containing adrenaline have been exposed to varying conditions of heat, ultra-violet and infra-red light over a period of two months. The adrenaline content in the solutions was assessed by fluorometric assay both at the commencement of study and at regular intervals over the period of exposure. Infra-red light appeared to have little or no effect on the concentration of adrenaline, while ultra-violet light, either alone or in combination with infra-red light, caused the adrenaline levels to diminish rapidly. The results suggest that the ultra-violet component of light is probably responsible for the breakdown of catecholamines in local anaesthetic solutions when these solution are stored in areas exposed to sunlight.