Stability study of the compatibility of three chemotherapeutic agents in a mixture solution of different kinds of vehicles in the EPOCH chemotherapy scheme

BACKGROUND: To explore the stability of a mixture of three drugs including vindesine, etoposide, and epirubicin, assigned to infusion in an EPOCH chemotherapy regimen and provide a basis for clinical use. METHODS: After mixing the three chemotherapy drugs with 500 mL of 0.9% sodium chloride or 5% glucose injection, respectively, they were divided into four groups of test solution. According to the Pharmacopoeia of the people’s Republic of China, 2020 Edition, injection fluid should be tested for content, osmolarity, insoluble microparticles and pH, as well as for sterility, bacterial endotoxin and pyrogen, etc. since this experiment focuses on the compatibility of the mixture of the three drugs, sterility and the detection of bacterial endotoxin and pyrogen, etc. were not performed. The test solutions were placed at room temperature, the content was determined using high-performance liquid chromatography, and the pH, osmolarity, and insoluble microparticle changes of the mixed solution were determined. Both imported and domestic epirubicin was used. RESULTS: The four groups of test solution have no significant changes in pH, osmolarity, and insoluble microparticles were observed within 48 h, with the contents changing by less than 5%. Compared with the other three groups, the imported epirubicin saline group achieved better results with significant differences in insoluble microparticle detection items of ≥10 and ≥25 µM (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The stability of the three drugs in 500 mL 0.9% sodium chloride and 5% glucose injection at room temperature was good. Imported epirubicin had some advantages in the number of insoluble microparticles and its pH was more suitable when normal saline was used as a vehicle. To reduce irritation to blood vessels by infusion, it is recommended to choose imported epirubicin with 0.9% sodium chloride mixed deployment.