INTRODUCTION TO PHARMACEUTICAL DOSAGE FORMS| pharmacy course Bpharm and Dpharm
INTRODUCTION TO PHARMACEUTICAL DOSAGE FORMS
Drugs are usually administered in the form of formulated preparations. The formulations
containing active medicament and a number of other components, collectively called excipients,
comprise a dosage form. The various dosage forms may be classified in a number of different
ways.
1. Based on Physical form, e.g. solid dosage, liquid dosage and semisolid dosage form.
2. Based on the route of administration, e.g., oral, topical, inhalations, ophthalmic, parenteral
dosage form, etc.
A brief introduction to different dosage forms is given below :
Aerosols.
The term aerosol is used to denote pressurized systems consisting of a very fine dispersion of a liquid or solid in a gas. Pharmaceutical aerosols consist of an aerosol product containing therapeutically active ingredients in dissolved, suspended, or emulsified form in a
propellant or a mixture of solvent and propellant and intended for topical administration or for
administration into body cavities. These are supplied in a mechanically strong container from
which the medicament is delivered either in the form of a spray, foam, powder or a fine mist.
Oral aerosols have been used to deliver medicaments like epinephrine, isoprenaline, beclomethasone, salbutamol, etc. for the symptomatic treatment of asthma and migraine headache. Topical aerosols have been used as local anesthetics, antiseptics, first-aid preparations, dermatological products, foot preparations and sprayon protective films.
2. Applications.
Applications are liquid or semi-liquid preparations containing one or more
active ingredients intended for application to the skin. These are supplied in the form of solutions or suspensions and are generally used as antiparasitics. Examples of medicaments supplied as Applications include benzyl benzoate, gamma benzene hexachloride and malathion.
3. Aromatic
Waters. Aromatic waters are clear saturated aqueous solutions of volatile oils of other aromatic substances, usually employed for their flavoring rather than medicinal properties although a few of them have therapeutic activity. These are usually prepared by diluting a concentrated, ethanolic solution of the aromatic substance with water. Their odor and taste are similar to those of the drugs or volatile substances from which they are prepared. Camphor water, chloroform water, and peppermint water, strong rose water are examples of aromatic water.
4. Cachets.
Cachets are solid dosage form meant for oral administration of nauseous and disagreeable drug substances.: These are moulded from rice paper, a material made by pouring a Mixture of rice Nour and water between two, hot, polished, revolving cylinders upon which water
evaporates and a sheet of water is formed. For the filling, the medicament is placed between two
INTRODUCTION TO PHARMACEUTICAL DOSAGE FORMS| pharmacy course Bpharm and Dpharm intro to pharmacy
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