Stability of commercial parenteral lipid emulsions repacking to polypropylene syringes

To accommodate small fluid volumes, repackaging of intravenous lipid emulsions is frequently performed in hospitals providing parenteral nutrition to neonates and smaller pediatric patients. The physical stability of lipid commercial parenteral emulsions repacked and stored in polypropylene syringe up to 30 days at room temperature, refrigerator and 40°C was determined to establish options for extended storage. Lipid emulsions in the manufacturers’ original containers were used as references. Commercial lipid emulsions (20% of oil phase), ClinOleic, Intralipid, Smoflipid, Omegaven and Lipofindin LCT/MCT were repackaged under aseptic conditions in polypropylene syringes and stored at 4°C, 25°C and 40°C without light protection. Samples were assayed periodically over 30 days using validated, stability-indicating methods. Lipid emulsions in the manufacturers’ containers stored in the same conditions were as references. Analysis of variance showed differences in the physical parameters due to temperature (p<0.05) and study day (p<0.05) but not the type of the emulsion (p = 0.98). The parenteral lipid emulsions in polypropylene syringe exhibited identical (except Z-avarage at 40°C, t = 30 days) to original containers time-dependent behavior taking into account the mean globule size, pH, and zeta potential measurements. Size of oily droplets of all test conditions remained below the United States Pharmacopeia limits. The results allow safe repacking of commercial lipid emulsion in a syringe, which is a necessary condition for supplying parenteral nutrition using the two-in-one method for newborns. However, longer storage than 12 h of repacked emulsion needs microbiological studies.