Abstract: According to the analysis of the residual products by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), the thermal decomposition process of cefazolin sodium (CEZ·Na) was thought to be similar to the degradation in solid state in its storage time. This laid a foundation for estimating the relative chemical stability of the drug by determination of its decomposition kinetics using TGA. Although the observed thermal decomposition kinetics of CEZ·Na was complex, a conversion level of 1% was chosen for evaluation of the stability of CEZ·Na crystalline since the mechanism here was more likely to be that of the actual product failure. The evaluation results suggested that the α form of CEZ·Na had the best stability and the amorphous one was the least stable one among α form, dehydrated α form and amorphous form.

Key words: Cefazolin sodium, Crystalline, Stability, Decomposition kinetics, Thermogravimetric analysis