STABILITY OF CEFUROXIME FOLLOWING GAMMA-IRRADIATION IN THE SOLID-STATE

The effect of gamma-irradiation on cefuroxime, a member of the second generation of cephalosporins, has been assessed by different spectroscopic, HPLC, chemical and microbiological analytical methods. According to the results obtained, the chemical changes in irradiated cefuroxime have relatively low yield. The microbiological assay carried out using B. subtilis test strain reveal that the activity of irradiated cefuroxime did not decrease even for radiation doses as high as 85 kGy. The remarkable radiation stability of cefuroxime irradiated in the solid state supports its suitability for radiation sterilization.