SEMISOLIDS Flashcards
Emollient
softens the skin
soothes irritation in skin or mucous membrane
Protective
protects injured skin
protects exposed skin surfaces from harmful or annoying stimuli
Occlusive
promotes retention of water in the skin by forming a hydrophobic barrier that prevents moisture in the skin from evaporating
Humectant
a substance that causes water to be retained because of its hygroscopic properties
Uses of Dermatologicals
To protect skin or mucous membranes from chemical or physical irritants in the environment
To permit rejuvenation of the skin
To provide hydration of the skin or an emollient effect
To provide a vehicle for applying a medication either for local or systemic effects
Ointments features
1) Semisolid preparations intended for the external application to the skin or mucous membranes
2) Soften or melt at body temperature
3) Should spread easily and be non-gritty
4) Semisolid plastic flow characteristics
5) Definite yield value
6) Resistance to flow drops as application continues
Desirable Properties of Bases
1) Chemically and physically stable under normal conditions of use and storage
2) Nonreactive and compatible with a wide variety of drugs and auxiliary agents (such as emulsifier, preservatives)
3) Free from objectionable odor
4) Nontoxic, nonsensitizing and nonirritating
5) Aesthetically appealing
6) easy to apply and nongreasy
7) Remains in contact with the skin until removal is desired, then is easily removed
Ointment Bases types
Oleaginous
Absorption
Water-removable
Water-soluble
Oleaginous Bases properties
1) Also called hydrocarbon bases; water insoluble
2) Emollient effect; prevent escape of moisture
3) Can remain on skin for prolonged periods without drying out; difficult to wash off
4) Not water washable
5) Can only incorporate small amounts of water
5) Oily, occlusive, lack cosmetic appeal
Advantages of Oleaginous Bases
Inexpensive, Nonreactive, Nonirritating,
Good emollient, protective and occlusive properties,
Not water-washable, so they stay on the skin and keep incorporated medications in contact with the skin
Disadvantages of Oleaginous Bases
1) Poor patient acceptance because of their greasy nature
2) Not removed easily with washing
3) Can only incorporate limited amounts of water and aqueous preparations and then with great difficulty
Oleaginous Bases types
Petrolatum, USP
White Petrolatum, USP
Yellow Ointment, USP
White Ointment, USP
Petrolatum, USP
1) Yellow petrolatum and petroleum jelly
2) Purified mixture of semisolid hydrocarbons obtained from petroleum
3) Unctuous mass, varying in color from yellowish to light amber
4) Melts at 38° to 60°C
5) May be used alone or in combination with other agents as an ointment base
White Petrolatum, USP
1) Purified mixture of semisolid hydrocarbons that has been decolorized
2) More esthetically appealing than petrolatum, but used for same purposes
Yellow Ointment, USP
1) Simple ointment
2) Slightly more viscous than plain petrolatum
3) Petrolatum 95% w/w and Yellow wax 5% w/w
Yellow wax is obtained from honeycomb
White Ointment, USP
Same as yellow ointment, but is made with white wax (bleached and purified yellow wax) instead of yellow wax
Absorption Bases properties
1) May be used as emollients, but don’t provide the degree of occlusion of oleaginous bases
2) Not easily removed from the skin with water washing
3) Useful as adjuncts to incorporate small volumes of aqueous solutions into hydrocarbon bases
4) Oily, occlusive, lacks cosmetic appeal
Absorption Bases: Two basic types:
1) Those that permit the incorporation of aqueous solutions resulting in the formation of water-in-oil emulsions (e.g., hydrophilic petrolatum)
2) Those that are water-in-oil emulsions that permit the incorporation of additional quantities of aqueous solutions (e.g., lanolin)
Advantages of Absorption Bases
1) Moderately good protective, occlusive and emollient properties
2) Do not wash off easily, so they hold incorporated medications in contact with the skin
3) Can absorb liquids
Disadvantages of Absorption Bases
1 Some bases in this class have poor patient acceptance
2) Not easily removed with washing
3) May be sensitizing
4) Can have compatibility issues related to the emulsifying agent
5) May be chemical stability issues with bases that contain water and ingredients sensitive to hydrolysis
6) Those that contain water may be subject to microbial growth ( adding preservative can reduce microbial growth but sensitive to skin)
Absorption Bases
Examples
Hydrophilic Petrolatum, USP
Aquaphor and Aquabase
Lanolin, USP
Modified Lanolin, USP
Lanolin, USP
1) Obtained from the wool of sheep
2) Purified wax-like substance that has been cleaned, deodorized and decolorized
3) Contains not more than 0.25% water
4) Modified Lanolin, USP has been processed to reduce the contents of free lanolin alcohols and any detergent and pesticide residues
Water-Removable Bases
1) Water-washable bases
2) Oil-in-water emulsions also called creams
3) Easily washed from the skin
4) May be diluted with water or aqueous solutions
5) Can absorb serous discharges
Advantages of Water-Removable Bases
1) Nongreasy
2) Can be removed from the skin by washing
3) Can absorb some water or alcohol
4) Will allow dissipation of fluids from injured skin