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MARY PETREA COBER, PHARM.D., is Clinical Pharmacist—Pediatric Surgery, Department of Pharmacy, University of Michigan Hospitals and Health Centers (UMHHC), Ann Arbor, and Adjunct Clinical Instructor, College of Pharmacy, University of Michigan (UM), Ann Arbor. CARY E. JOHNSON, PHARM.D., FASHP, is Professor of Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, UM, and Clinical Pharmacist—Pediatrics, Department of Pharmacy, UMHHC.

Address correspondence to Dr. Cober at the University of Michigan Hospitals and Health Centers, 1500 East Medical Center Drive, UHB2D301, Box 0008, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-0008 (mcober{at}umich.edu).

Purpose. The physical and chemical short-term stability of alcohol-free, oral suspensions of phenobarbital 10 mg/mL prepared from commercially available tablets in both a sugar and a sugar-free vehicle was assessed at room temperature. Methods. Phenobarbital oral suspension 10 mg/mL was prepared by crushing 10 60-mg tablets of phenobarbital with a mortar and pestle. A small amount of Ora-Plus was added to the phenobarbital powder to sufficiently wet the particles. A 1:1 mixture of Ora-Plus and either Ora-Sweet or Ora-Sweet SF was combined with the phenobarbital powder to produce a final volume of 60 mL. Three identical samples of each of the two different formulations were prepared and stored at room temperature in 2-oz amber plastic bottles. Immediately after preparation and at 15, 30, 60, and 115 days, the samples were assayed in duplicate by stability-indicating high-performance liquid chromatography. The samples were tasted and inspected for color and odor changes. The percent of the initial concentration remaining at each study time for each phenobarbital suspension was determined. Stability was defined as the retention of at least 90% of the initial concentration. Results. There were no detectable changes in color, odor, and taste and no visible microbial growth in any sample. At least 98% of the initial phenobarbital concentration remained throughout the 115-day study period in both preparations. Conclusion. An extemporaneously prepared alcohol-free suspension of phenobarbital 10 mg/mL in a 1:1 mixture of Ora-Plus and Ora-Sweet or Ora-Sweet SF was stable for at least 115 days when stored in 2-oz amber plastic bottles at room temperature. Index terms: Anticonvulsants; Color; Compounding; Concentration; Contamination; Odors; Ora-Plus; Ora-Sweet; Ora-Sweet SF; Phenobarbital; Stability; Storage; Suspensions; Taste; Vehicles