HCG and solvent

[Slacker78]

Hello guys, i was wondering about the solvent used to constitute HCG powder.
I buy HCG from a pharmacy of my friend. I've seen that solvent is a simply physiological solution being it contains sodium chloride and simply water for injectable solution for each syringe. This means that when i open a syringe and mix it with powder ( the powder is in several vials each of xUI ), i should use the solution straightaway and i couldn't store it for a later usage. I know it could be possible if i used bacteriostatic water, but i'm having some difficulties to find it in my town. The questions are:

1) HCG really needs a sodium chloride in its solvent ( for stability etc.. ) being its original solvent given in the package contains it ?
2) Could i store in the fridge the HCG mix, using as solvent the physiological solution provided in the package and reuse it after 48 hours without high risk of damage/contamination ?
3) Could a sterile and pyrogenic water offer major protection about storing the HCG mix, around 48-72 hours ?

In other words, if i could store the HCG mix i could save a lot of money being the formula ( xUI / ML ) as it is sold, could be more convenient if i could store a middle quantity and reuse it after 48 hours.

In every case, it could be useful to know about the questions above.

Thank you in advance.

[Youthful55guy]

I suggest you use the diluent (solvent) provided with the HCG and not use "sterile water" unless it is medical grade "water for injection", which is another name for sterile physiological saline. The HCG molecule is a fragile protein and it should not be reconstituted in plain water.

If I understand your situation correctly, you have several glass ampules of HCG which contain a larger amount of HCG than you need for one injection, and you are wondering if you can store it in a refrigerator. They are usually packaged in 2,000, 5,000 or 10,000 IU per ampule.

Yes, you can if you also have a sterile injection vial into which you can store the reconstituted solution. I suggest you dilute it to 1000 IU/mL and then each 0.1 mL (1 unit on an insulin syringe) contains 100 IU.

For a 2,000 IU ampule, Mix with 2 mL sterile injection solution (preserved bacteriostatic solution if you can get it).
For a 5,000 IU ampule, Mix with 5 mL sterile injection solution
For a 10,000 IU ampule, Mix with 10 mL sterile injection solution

I usually mix with a 1.5 inch luer-lock long needle attached to a 3 or 5 mL syringe for the solution transfer. You'll need the longer need to reach the bottom of the ampule. I usually do this using 3 smaller volumes that add up to the total volume desired because the vial can only hold about 2 mL solution. Also this helps to make sure you get it all out of the ampule.

Step 1: Tap the ampule onto a hard surface several times to make sure all of the powder is in the bottom of the ampule and not coating the sides.
Step 2: Use an alcohol wipe to thoroughly clean and disinfect the ampule (especially near the breaking point in the neck)
Step 3: Break open the ampule and carefully and slowly inject 2 mL solution into the ampule
Step 4: Mix the solution gently with the needle and then angle it about 45 degrees and suck the solution back out and inject it into a sterile injection vial
Step 5: Repeat step 4.
Step 6: Repeat step 4 but with only 1 mL solution

You now have 5 mL of 1000 IU/mL HCG reconstituted solution.

The refrigerated shelf life is about 60 days, but as long as the solution does not get cloudy you can lengthen that to as many as 90 days, but I would not go much farther than 90 days. The HCG looses potency the longer you store it. This is why I like to use the 5,000 IU vials because at a 1000 IU per week dose (my dosage split into E3D injections), it lasts about 5 weeks and then I make it up fresh again. I've never had a problem with this, but keep in mind that I use a sterile preserved solution.

[Slacker78]

I suggest you use the diluent (solvent) provided with the HCG and not use "sterile water" unless it is medical grade "water for injection", which is another name for sterile physiological saline. The HCG molecule is a fragile protein and it should not be reconstituted in plain water.

If I understand your situation correctly, you have several glass ampules of HCG which contain a larger amount of HCG than you need for one injection, and you are wondering if you can store it in a refrigerator. They are usually packaged in 2,000, 5,000 or 10,000 IU per ampule.

Yes, you can if you also have a sterile injection vial into which you can store the reconstituted solution. I suggest you dilute it to 1000 IU/mL and then each 0.1 mL (1 unit on an insulin syringe) contains 100 IU.

For a 2,000 IU ampule, Mix with 2 mL sterile injection solution (preserved bacteriostatic solution if you can get it).
For a 5,000 IU ampule, Mix with 5 mL sterile injection solution
For a 10,000 IU ampule, Mix with 10 mL sterile injection solution

I usually mix with a 1.5 inch luer-lock long needle attached to a 3 or 5 mL syringe for the solution transfer. You'll need the longer need to reach the bottom of the ampule. I usually do this using 3 smaller volumes that add up to the total volume desired because the vial can only hold about 2 mL solution. Also this helps to make sure you get it all out of the ampule.

Step 1: Tap the ampule onto a hard surface several times to make sure all of the powder is in the bottom of the ampule and not coating the sides.
Step 2: Use an alcohol wipe to thoroughly clean and disinfect the ampule (especially near the breaking point in the neck)
Step 3: Break open the ampule and carefully and slowly inject 2 mL solution into the ampule
Step 4: Mix the solution gently with the needle and then angle it about 45 degrees and suck the solution back out and inject it into a sterile injection vial
Step 5: Repeat step 4.
Step 6: Repeat step 4 but with only 1 mL solution

You now have 5 mL of 1000 IU/mL HCG reconstituted solution.

The refrigerated shelf life is about 60 days, but as long as the solution does not get cloudy you can lengthen that to as many as 90 days, but I would not go much farther than 90 days. The HCG looses potency the longer you store it. This is why I like to use the 5,000 IU vials because at a 1000 IU per week dose (my dosage split into E3D injections), it lasts about 5 weeks and then I make it up fresh again. I've never had a problem with this, but keep in mind that I use a sterile preserved solution.

Ok. In the pictures there's the syringe with the sterile physiological saline inside ( 1 ML ) and in the vial the HCG powder:



THERE'S NOT Bacteriostatic water in the syringe, the solvent provided as it's reported in the paper is: Syringe content: Sodium Chloride with water for injectable solution ( 1 ML )

So, even i'm not using bacteriostatic water but a simply sterile physiological saline, can i store a certain amount of reconstituted HCG inside the ampule as in picture, in the fridge ? I'm not going to store it for a long amount of time, just 48-72 hours ( i will split in 2 parts of 1000UI, so 500UI EOD ).

[Youthful55guy]

Ok, I get it. You have a kit and not the glass ampules. It comes both ways.

From the photo it looks like 1000 IU injection vial. So if you inject the entire 1 mL sterile saline into it, you have 1000 IU/mL, which is the same dilution I was describing above.

Yes, you can store it in the refrigerator, but it has about a 60-90 day usable life. It looses potency as it ages. Since you do not have preserved saline, you need to pay close attention to sterile technique when inserting needles into the vial. NEVER stick a used needle into the vial.

[Slacker78]

Ok, I get it. You have a kit and not the glass ampules. It comes both ways.

From the photo it looks like 1000 IU injection vial. So if you inject the entire 1 mL sterile saline into it, you have 1000 IU/mL, which is the same dilution I was describing above.

Yes, you can store it in the refrigerator, but it has about a 60-90 day usable life. It looses potency as it ages. Since you do not have preserved saline, you need to pay close attention to sterile technique when inserting needles into the vial. NEVER stick a used needle into the vial.

Ok, thank you. Yes, i should be mad to re-use a needle