Compositions comprising ephedrine or an ephedrine salt and methods of making and using same

1. A method of making a shelf-stable, ready-to-use ephedrine sulfate composition, the method comprising:

combining ephedrine sulfate, sodium chloride or dextrose, and water to form a batch solution comprising an initial ephedrine sulfate level of 5 mg/mL, 9 mg/mL sodium chloride or 5% dextrose, and no preservative;

optionally contacting the batch solution with an acid or a base to obtain an initial pH level of the solution of 4.5 to 7;

filtering the batch solution through a membrane filter to obtain a filtered batch solution;

sanitizing one or more containers;

placing not more than 20 mL of the filtered batch solution into one of the one or more sanitized containers to obtain one or more filled containers;

sealing each filled container to obtain sealed containers including a shelf-stable, ready-to-use ephedrine sulfate composition; and

maintaining a pH level of the shelf-stable, ready-to-use ephedrine sulfate composition in the sealed containers that is within 0.5 pH units of the initial pH level during storage at 25° C. and 60% relative humidity for at least 12 months or during storage at 40° C. and 75% relative humidity for at least 6 months.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the shelf-stable, ready-to-use ephedrine sulfate composition has, after the step of maintaining, a bacterial endotoxin level of not more than 7 EU/mg.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the shelf-stable, ready-to-use ephedrine sulfate composition has, after the step of maintaining, an ephedrine level within 5% of the initial ephedrine sulfate level.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the shelf-stable, ready-to-use ephedrine sulfate composition has, after the step of maintaining, a level of (+)-1S,2R-ephedrine of not more than 0.5%.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the shelf-stable, ready-to-use ephedrine sulfate composition has, after the step of maintaining, a level of total impurities of not more than 0.75%.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the shelf-stable, ready-to-use ephedrine sulfate composition has, after the step of maintaining, a level of any one unknown individual impurity of not more than 0.2%.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the shelf-stable, ready-to-use ephedrine sulfate composition has, after the step of maintaining, not more than 6000 particles greater than or equal to 10 μm in size per container.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the shelf-stable, ready-to-use ephedrine sulfate composition has, after the step of maintaining, not more than 600 particles greater than or equal to 25 μm in size per container.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising a step of sterilizing the solution before the step of maintaining.