International journal of pharmaceutics
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When mixed with parenteral nutrients as an all-in-one admixture, previous data have demonstrated that lipid emulsions composed of medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs) and long-chain triglycerides (LCTs) yield more stable formulations compared with those compounded with pure LCT lipid emulsions. We investigated the physical stability of various preparations of intravenous lipid emulsions as all-in-one admixtures. Each final lipid emulsion used to compound the all-in-one formulation was a 20% w/v mixture containing MCTs and LCTs as either a single emulsion containing both triglycerides, or an emulsion made extemporaneously from separate starting emulsions of pure MCT and LCT. ⋯ The results confirm the stabilizing effects of MCTs when made as a physical oil mixture as a single lipid emulsion. However, stabilization is lost if the MCT and LCT emulsions are mixed from separate starting emulsions and then compounded as an all-in-one formulation. The extemporaneous mixing of commercial lipid emulsions is not recommended.