Stability of Folic Acid in an Extemporaneously Prepared Oral Suspension
Abstract
Many drugs are not available in suitable dosage forms for paediatric use and have to be extemporaneously prepared by pharmacist for the individual patient. This study is conducted to investigate the physicochemical and microbiological stability of an extemporaneous oral suspension containing 1mg/ml of folic acid. The oral suspension was prepared using commercially available tablets and vehicle from the hospital. The folic acid oral suspension was stored for 60 days at 4°C (refrigeration) and 25°C (room temperature) protected from light. The physical, chemical and microbial stability were examined at day 0, 14, 28 and 60. The content of folic acid was determined using HPLC- UV method. The analytical results showed that the content of folic acid was above 90% in all the samples tested throughout the study period. The visual appearance, colour, odour and pH remained fairly unchanged throughout the study period and the oral suspension was not susceptible to microbial contamination. The results indicated that the extemporaneous formulation was stable at both temperatures and 60 days expiration date could be recommended for this formulation.