Radiation effect studies on anticancer drugs, cyclophosphamide and doxorubicin for radiation sterilization

Two anticancer drugs, cyclophosphamide (CPH) and doxorubicin hydrochloride (DOXO), in powder form were exposed to a range of doses of 60Co gamma and electron beam radiation to study the effects of ionizing radiation. Pharmacopoeia tests, discolouration, degradation products, effect of irradiation temperature and dose rate were investigated. CPH undergoes less than 2% degradation at 30 kGy. Chromatographic studies revealed formation of several trace level degradation products, discolouration and free radicals in the irradiated CPH. N,N-bis (2-chloroethyl) group in the molecule is particularly sensitive to radiation degradation. Irradiation to 5 kGy at low temperature (77 K) did not result in significant changes. DOXO was observed to be quite radiation resistant and did not undergo significant changes in its physico-chemical properties and degradation product profile. It can be radiation sterilized at normal sterilization dose of 25 kGy