Stability of Dextran during Prolonged Storage

Abstract

MEASUREMENTS made on clinical dextran solutions after storage at 4° C for 5 years revealed no significant deterioration¹. These measurements have now been repeated after 10 years. Dextran solutions A and B were made in the United States and C and D in Great Britain. Where applicable the methods of testing described in the British Pharmacopoeia were used and, as before, the specific optical rotation of each dextran was used in calculating the concentrations of solutions for the viscosity measurements. Table 1 records the intrinsic viscosity measurements. Dextrans A, B and C showed relatively small changes even after 10 years; there was certainly no sign of progressive change. Dextran D had given some indication of change at 5 years. Two bottles of this dextran were examined after 10 years. The intrinsic viscosities were 0.352 and 0.356; their mean is entered in Table 1.