Medication Sticks

Question 1

What do med stciks deliver?

Answer 1

Dosage form for administering topical drugs

Question 2

Med sticks are commonly accepted as….

Answer 2

cosmetic formulations

Question 3

Soft Sticks….

Answer 3

Cosmetic preparations
Convenient to apply topical drugs

Question 4

Hard sticks

Answer 4

Crystalline powders fused by heat or held together with binders such as cocoa butter or petrolatum

Moisture is needed to ‘activate’

Not used in pharmaceutical applications anymore unless as specialty compounds

Question 5

Stick Bases

Answer 5

Fatty bases:
cocoa butter
Vegetable oils – rancidity; mineral oil
hydrogenated vegetable oil - Witepsol
Waxes (carnauba wax, candelilla wax, beeswax) - sticky

Water-soluble bases:
Sodium stearate/glycerol PEGs

Question 6

Medication Stick Preparation

Answer 6

Fusion –> Molding

Question 7

Suppositories, vaginal and urethral preps are…..

Answer 7

“Neglected” dosage form

1% of drugs are manufactured as suppositories

Although this dosage form is widely researched, there is still a general rejection of rectal delivery systems

Question 8

Definition of Suppository

Answer 8

A solid dosage form used for rectal, vaginal, urethral administration

Consists of a dispersion of the active ingredient in an inert matrix (a rigid or semi-rigid base)

Question 9

Important Consideration of Suppository Prep

Answer 9

Matrix SHOULD be inert

Question 10

Advantages of Suppositories

Answer 10

Less invasive than injectables
Limit first pass hepatic metabolism
Limit drug interactions when given in combination with other therapies
Can be used for both local and systemic effects
Accommodates patients who have difficulty swallowing pills
Accommodating administration in unconscious patients and infants
Increased bioavailability of drugs

Question 11

Limitations Suppository

Answer 11

Not for long-term tx (NOT PHARMACEIUTICAL LIMITATION but due to lower patient acceptance
User discomfort
Special storage conditions like temperature (risk of melting)
For some patient population, dosage form is diffuclt for self administration

Question 12

State of rectum compared to other GI tract sections

Answer 12

In general, the environment in the rectum is relatively constant and static in comparison to other parts of the gastrointestinal tract

Question 13

Average fluid volume rectum

Answer 13

average fluid volume of 1–3 ml

Question 14

PH rectum

Answer 14

neutral pH of 7–8, with minimal buffering capacity

Question 15

Bacteria of rectum

Answer 15

Normal bacterial flora –> intraluminal degradation by microorganisms or metabolism within the mucosal cells in the rectum is generally not considered to be significant