Powders Flashcards
Mixtures of dry finely divided drugs and/or chemicals that may be intended for internal or external use.
Powders.
Are powders only composed of the active drug?
No, some are a mixture of the active drug and other ingredients or excipients.
What are the nonsterile powder preparations dispensed to patients? (2)
- Divided Powders
- Bulk Powders
Sources of Powders for Nonsterile preparations (3).
- Bulk Powders
- Crushed Tablets
- Opened Capsules.
T or F: The weight of a powder is always equal to the weight of the active pharmaceutical ingredient (API).
False, it depends on the powder and whether or not excipients are included.
What should all powders have to state their potency?
Certificate of Analysis.
Document Produced by manufacturers with the results of laboratory testing verifying the product conforms to requirements (USP).
Required by USP for all APIs used in compounding.
Certificate of Analysis
When compounding with powders, we must review _________ and take this into consideration when making compounding calculations.
Assay (potency) from the certificate of analysis.
Need to consider both potency and water content.
- Medications are not potent and can be dosed accurately and safely using general measuring devices (teaspoon or cup).
- Labeled for the concentration of active ingredients contained in the product. (%w/w, mg of drug per gram, etc…)
Bulk Powders
- Powder Papers/Charts
- Single doses of powdered API individually wrapped in paper/cellophane/foil packets. (more accurate)
- Patient-specific label should indicate quantity of active ingredients contained in one dose.
Divided Powders.
-Tailored Doses
-Easily Administered to Patients who can not swallow tablets or capsules.
-Drugs most stable in soluble form.
-Undesirable taste less noticeable in powder form
-rapid onset
-external or internal use.
Advantages of Powder Dosage Forms.
Powder Dosage forms are _______ for patients who can not swallow to take?
Easy
Powder Dosage forms are most stable in their ____________ form.
Solid
Powder Dosage Forms have a __________ onset, this is because ______________ is not required.
- Rapid
- Disintegration
T or F: Powder Dosage Forms may only be used internally.
False, they can be used both internally and externally.
Good powder formulations have ___________ particle size distribution.
Uniform
What would happen if powder particle sizes were not uniform?
The powder would segregate due to different particle sizes resulting in inaccurate dosing.
What are the benefits to uniform particle size in powder dosage forms? (3)
- Results in Uniform Dissolution Rate
- Uniform Sedimentation Rate
- Minimizes stratification when powders are stored/transported.
Comminution
The process of reducing the particle size of a powder.
What are the three methods of comminution?
- Trituration
- Pulverization by intervention
- Levigation
Continuous rubbing or grinding of powder in a mortar with a pestle.
Trituration
What form of comminution is used for hard fracturable powders?
Trituration
Uses an intervening solvent (alcohol or acetone) to dissolve the powder, then the dissolved powder is mixed in a mortar or spread on an ointment slab to enhance the evaporation of the solvent. The solvent evaporates, and the powder will recrystallize out of the solution as fine particles.
Pulverization by Intervention.
What form of comminution is used for hard crystalline powders that do not dissolve easily?
Pulverization by intervention.
