BETAMETHASONE, BETAMETHASONE DIPROPIONATE, BETAMETHASONE SODIUM PHOSPHATE

Note: For more information refer to the monograph: Glucocorticoids, General information . Chemistry - A synthetic glucocorticoid, betamethasone is available as the base and as the dipropionate, acetate and sodium phosphate salts. The base is used for oral dosage forms. The sodiumphosphate and acetate salts are used in injectable preparations. The dipropionate salt is used intopical formulations and in combination with the sodium phosphate salt in a veterinary-approvedinjectable preparation. Betamethasone may also be known as flubenisolone.
Betamethasone occurs as an odorless, white to practically white, crystalline powder. It is insolublein water and practically insoluble in alcohol. The dipropionate salt occurs as a white or creamy-white, odorless powder. It is practically insoluble in water and sparingly soluble in alcohol. Thesodium phosphate salt occurs as an odorless, white to practically white, hygroscopic powder. It isfreely soluble in water and slightly soluble in alcohol.

Storage, Stability, Compatibility

Betamethasone tablets should be stored in well-closed containers at 2-30°C. The oral solution should be stored in well-closed containers, protected from lightand kept at temperatures less than 40°C. The sodium phosphate injection should be protected fromlight and stored at room temperature (15-30°C); protect from freezing. The combination veterinaryinjectable product (Betasone®) should be stored between 2 - 30°C and protected from light orfreezing.
When betamethasone sodium phosphate was mixed with heparin sodium, hydrocortisone sodiumsuccinate, potassium chloride, vitamin B-complex with C, dextrose 5% in water (D5W), D5 in
Ringer's, D5 in lactated Ringer's, Ringer's lactate injection or normal saline, no physicalincompatibility was noted immediately or after 4 hours.Contraindications/Precautions/Adverse effects - For the product Betasone® (Schering), themanufacturer states that the drug is "contraindicated in animals with acute or chronic bacterial infections unless therapeutic doses of an effective antimicrobial agent are used." See the monograph:
Glucocorticoids, General Information for additional information.
In addition to the contraindications, precautions and adverse effects outlined in the opening sectionof glucocorticoids, betamethasone has been demonstrated to cause decreased sperm output andsemen volume and increased percentages of abnormal sperm in dogs.