[Process of sodium fusidate inactivation as affected by oxygen and humidity].

The effect of oxygen and moisture on stability of sodium fusidate was studied. It was shown that inactivation of the antibiotic in the atmosphere of oxygen was due to its oxidation in the preparations with low humidity levels. In the preparations with high humidity levels, the main cause of the antibiotic inactivation was hydrolysis with respect to C-16-O-acetyl group. When sodium fusidate was air stored, the salts of 24, 25-dioxy-and 24, 25-dioxy-11-monoketofusidic acids were identified among the products of its inactivation. The salts of 24,25-dioxy-11-monoketofusidic acid were also prepared by oxidation of fusidic acid with potassium permanganate in a weak alkaline medium. The possibility of using sodium sulfite and metabisulfite as stabilizers for th antibiotic storage was shown.