Lyophilised (freeze-dried) research compounds arrive as a delicate powder inside a sealed vial. Before they can be used, they need to be reconstituted, dissolved into a liquid solution using bacteriostatic water (BAC water). This guide covers everything you need to do it correctly, safely, and without degrading the compound.
The sealed vial containing your research-compound powder.
Sterile water with 0.9% benzyl alcohol, the standard solvent for multi-use vials.
1 mL (100 unit), 29–31 gauge needles for precise measurement.
For sterilising vial tops before each needle insertion.
Flat, well-lit surface wiped with 70% isopropyl alcohol.
Important: Don't use normal saline or plain sterile water for vials you plan to store. BAC water's benzyl-alcohol content inhibits bacterial growth, keeping your reconstituted solution viable for up to 30 days refrigerated.
Wipe down your work surface with 70% isopropyl alcohol. Allow your vial and BAC water to reach room temperature if they've been stored cold, this takes about 10–15 minutes. Cold BAC water can still be used, but room-temperature water dissolves the powder more evenly.
Swab the rubber stopper of both the compound vial and the BAC water vial with an alcohol pad. Let them air-dry for a few seconds. This prevents introducing contaminants when you pierce the stopper.
Insert the syringe needle into the BAC water vial and draw out the desired volume. The amount you add determines the concentration of your solution.
Concentration formula: 1 mL of BAC water added to a 5 mg vial means each 0.1 mL (10 IU on an insulin syringe) contains 0.5 mg (500 mcg). Adding 2 mL would make each 0.1 mL contain 0.25 mg (250 mcg).
Open the Reconstitution Calculator → Enter your vial size, water volume, and target dose to get exact syringe units.
This is the most critical step. Insert the needle and aim the stream at the inside wall of the vial, not directly onto the powder. Let the water trickle down the glass slowly. Lyophilised compounds are fragile, a direct jet can damage molecular structures and reduce potency.
Once all the water is in, gently roll the vial between your palms or tilt it back and forth slowly. Most compounds dissolve within 30–60 seconds. Never shake the vial, vigorous agitation can denature peptide bonds.
The solution should become clear and colourless. If particles remain after 2–3 minutes of gentle swirling, let the vial sit in the refrigerator for 30 minutes, some compounds take longer to fully dissolve.
Refrigerate the reconstituted vial at 2–8°C (standard refrigerator temperature). Keep it away from light. A reconstituted compound in BAC water typically remains stable for up to 30 days. For longer storage, some researchers aliquot the solution into smaller vials and freeze them, though freeze-thaw cycles should be minimised.
Use this table for common vial sizes with BAC water added:
| Vial size | BAC water added | Per 0.1 mL (10 IU) |
|---|---|---|
| 2 mg | 1 mL | 200 mcg |
| 5 mg | 1 mL | 500 mcg |
| 5 mg | 2 mL | 250 mcg |
| 10 mg | 1 mL | 1000 mcg (1 mg) |
| 10 mg | 2 mL | 500 mcg |
Both are pharmaceutical-grade, but they serve different purposes:
Contains 0.9% benzyl alcohol, prevents bacterial growth. Ideal for multi-use vials accessed with a syringe over days or weeks.
No preservative. Single-use only, once opened or punctured, bacteria can grow. Only appropriate if the entire vial is used in one session.
For research compounds stored in multi-use vials, BAC water is always the correct choice.
Use the Reconstitution Calculator to see exactly how many units to draw. Then learn how to store your reconstituted vials.
Open the Calculator