Reconstituting hcg

[johnhenry]

I have read the sticky - the hcg I have is ZyhCG, from SafeMeds, marketed by German Remedies and manufactured by Gufic Biosciences Ltd, India. The pack comes with a 5000iu vial with the powder in it. Then there is a 2ml ampoule of 0.9% sodium chloride that comes with it as well. What I have done is inject the 2ml of 0.9% sodium chloride into the hcg vial as well as 1.8 units (on insulin syringe) of benzyl alcohol. Then it is stored in the fridge. I inject 300iu (12 units on insulin syringe) on an eod basis. I just want to check that this is suitable - very hard to buy bac water here easily in Oz. JH.

[johnhenry]

I have had no responses yet - but below is what I have found so far on Mr Google. It seems okay to be doing it this way. Comments welcome though. JH.

After reconstituting Pregnyl in 5ml of 0.9% saline solution, I load 16 insulin syringes and store them in the fridge at 3 deg. C. I had previously heard that HCG is a delicate molecule that cannot tolerate light, freezing or being shaken. In fact, that is what it says on the Patient Information Leaflet that comes with Pregnyl.

That is the conventional wisdom. However, the compounding pharmacy that supplies my product has done tests and found that reconstituted hCG can be frozen and thawed without loss of activity.

I don't know which one of the three you are saying is normal saline and different to water for injection but I bought a bottle from the pharmacy last week that is clearly labelled "PHYSIO STEROP 0.9% NaCl. Solvent for parenteral preparations.". Right, normal saline for injection - different from water, which is, essentially, water. Normal saline is also called physiologic saline is also called isotonic saline. In addition to water, it contains a physiologic amount of NaCl, plus additives such as, possibly, a bacteriostatic agent or a preservative.

As a matter of interest, water for injection is sold here in pharmacies as 'serum physiologique' (physiologigal serum) and is labelled as purified water in solution with 0.9% sodium chloride. This solution is described as being equivalent to human tears.
There is also 'aqua ad injectibilia', which is described as 'ultrapure water' and is produced by distillation without any additives.
Bacteriostatic water contains both sodium chloride and acetic acid. The acetic acid supposedly protects against bacterial contamination of the solution during use.