Abstract:

Background: Furosemide is a potent loop diuretic used in the treatment of oedematous states associated with cardiac, renal and hepatitis failure, and for the treatment of hypertension. In Tanzania Furosemide is a diuretic indicated for the treatment of hypertension. The use of Furosemide at high doses greater than 80mg per day leads high risk of hypokalemia, mild decrease in total thyroid hormone, dehydration, reduced blood volume, electrolyte imbalance.

Methodology: Microbial load determination test and assay test were the laboratory procedures conducted to the triplicate samples to assess the quality of Furosemide syrup for day 1, day 7 and day 14 at Tanzania Medical Devices and Drug Authority laboratories in Mwanza, Tanzania.

Results and Discussion: For the assay test the concentration of compounded furosemide syrup within its shelf life for all the days including day 1, day 7 and 14 were with slight variations but within the required range for its activity. For the microbial load determination test the compounded Furosemide syrup sample for day 1 and day 7 were all negative for both E. coli and P. aeruginosa but for day 14 compounded Furosemide syrup sample tested positive for P. aeruginosa.

Conclusion: The results that compounded Furosemide syrup passed assay test for all the days, day 1, day 7 and 14 but for the microbial load determination test compounded Furosemide syrup passed on day 1 and day 7 but failed the test on day 14 due to P. aeruginosa contamination hence making it not safe for use on day 14.