Researchers demonstrate that a widely used veterinary sedative formulation remains stable for three months

Auburn University researchers have published a study in Current Pharmaceutical Analysis providing critical stability data for a key anesthetic used in camelid medicine. The combination of ketamine, xylazine, and butorphanol (KXB) is essential for safely sedating llamas and alpacas, but no stability evidence had previously existed for this three-drug mixture. The study determined how long the aseptically compounded injection remains potent and sterile.

“We felt a responsibility to bridge the gap between the USP standard and the practical needs of our veterinary teaching hospital,” said first author Susan M. Elrod. “Confirming its stability over time is a direct contribution to patient safety.”

The team developed a precise HPLC method and stored the formulation at room temperature and under accelerated conditions at 40°C for three months. Corresponding author Professor R. Jayachandra Babu explained, “The forced degradation studies ensured our analytical method could detect any breakdown products, guaranteeing we measured only the active drugs.”

Results were definitive. The formulation remained clear with consistent pH, and all three drugs retained over 90% potency for the full study period. Microbiological testing confirmed no bacterial or fungal growth for up to 45 days. This evidence robustly supports the 28-day beyond-use date, providing a scientific foundation for the formulation’s safe continued use in veterinary hospitals.