Benzoyl peroxide stability in pharmaceutical gel preparations.

The storage stability of benzoyl peroxide in the presence of both individual and combined pharmaceutical gel ingredients was investigated. Benzoyl peroxide was quite unstable in the presence of nucleophilic agents and certain acidic substances. At both 30 and 40 degrees storage temperatures, benzoyl peroxide was destroyed rapidly (within 1 month) in the presence of ethanol and acidic chelating agents. The substitution of acetone for ethanol, the elimination of chelating agents, and the addition of sodium hydroxide to gel preparations markedly reduced degradation.