Stabilization of Penicillin Solutions by Phosphate

Abstract

ALTHOUGH penicillin in aqueous solution is rather more stable than was originally supposed, there is, nevertheless, an appreciable loss of activity in a few days at room temperature and in a few minutes at 100° C. We have found it possible greatly to stabilize penicillin solutions by the addition of phosphate (Sørensen's buffer solution). That this is not due to an effect on pH was shown by parallel experiments with penicillin in water alone, the pH of which was carefully regulated to that of the phosphate solutions.