Stability of metronidazole and ten antibiotics when mixed with magnesium sulphate solutions.

The chemical stabilities of metronidazole (in water) and ten antibiotics (ampicillin, carbenicillin, cefamandole, cefazolin, cefoxitin, moxalactam, nafcillin, penicillin G, piperacillin, and ticarcillin) in 5% dextrose injection (except ampicillin which was in 0.9% sodium chloride) with magnesium sulphate were studied at 25 degrees C. The clarity of the solutions did not change in 20 h. The pH values of metronidazole, nafcillin and penicillin G solutions containing magnesium sulphate were lower (at 0 and 20 h) by up to 1.2 units as compared with solutions without magnesium sulphate. The decomposition of nafcillin and penicillin G solutions was hastened significantly by magnesium sulphate due to effect on the pH values of the solutions.