Solutions Flashcards
How can mixtures be divided into two main groups?
Homogenous (uniform composition)
Heterogenous (non-uniform composition)
What is the only type of homogenous mixture?
Solutions (particles are small and evenly dispersed)
What are the types of heterogenous mixtures?
Colloid (particles are medium and dispersed, but do not settle)
Suspension (Particle are large and settle out)
What is the definition of a pharmaceutical solution?
A chemicaly and physically homogenous liquid preparations of two or more substances
What are some excipients added to solutions?
Flavouring, sweeteners, colourants, and preservatives are some examples
What solvents are used in pharmaceutical solutions?
Water is most commonly used and desirable, but other solvents are also used
Alcohol (94-96%)
Glycerin
Propylene glycol
Oils
For topical applications, are polar solvents better compared to non-polar solvents?
No, non-polar solvents are more liklely to absorb into the skin (lipid-based)
What is the utility of solutions as a dosage form?
Injectable drugs
Pediatric formulations
Opthalmic preparations
Some lotions
Sprays
Liquid dosage forms are prefered by children and people who have a hard time swallowing other oral dosage forms
What are the advantages of solutions in pharmacy?
Solutions skip disintegration and dissoultion, therefore the absorb the faster compared to solid dosage forms
Can be intended for multiple routes of administration
Flexible dosing, different volumes can be used depending on the circumstances
No shaking needed (solute is completely disolved into the solvent)
What are some disadvantages of solutions in pharmacy?
Increased sensitivity to environmental conditions
Reduced technical accuracy
Solubilty of drug must match excipients
Bulky storage and transport
What is the difference between solubility and dissolution?
Solubility: The quantity of solute to form a saturated solution (constant at a given temperature)
Dissolution: The transfer of molecules and ions from a solid phase into a solution (describes the process)
How can dissolution be enhanced?
Trituration can reduce particle size and decreases solution time
Heat
Vigourous shaking
What physiochemical factors affect solubility?
Molecular weight and volume
Precense of functional groups and their position (structure)
Acids or bases (pH dependent solubility)
Do aqueous solutions have different boiling and freezing points compared to pure water
Solutes increase boiling point and reduce freezing point
What are the different types of solutions?
Gases in Liquids (effervescent tablets)
Liquids in Liquids (elixirs)
Solids in Liquids (drug powders for injectable reconstitution)
Does pressure increase solubilty of gases in liquids?
Yes
Does temperature increase solubility of gases in liquids?
No, increased temperatures reduce the amount of solvent that can be dissolved into the solvent
What happens to gases in liquids when a different solute is added to the solution?
If the solute has a greater affinity for water than the dissolved gas, the solution will bubble of some gas
What is miscibility?
Expresses the mutual solubility of components in a liquid-liquid system (mixes without separating)
Are all liquids miscible with each other?
No, some are only miscible under certain conditons (proportion and temperature), while others are completely immiscible
How does temperature impact solubility?
With endothermic substances, solubility increases with temperature (disolution requires the input of energy)
With exothermic substances, solubility decreases with increases in temperature (dissolution results in the release of energy)
With Normothermic substances, solubility does not change with temperature (energy is neither absorbed or released during dissolution)
What is polarity?
It is the separation of electric charge leading to a molecule or its chemical groups having an electric dipole moment, with a negatively and positively charged ends
What are some non-polar solvents used in pharmceutical preparations?
Fixed oils (non-volatile): ex. vegetable oils
Hydrocarbons: ex. mineral oils
Non-polar solvents are used as a vehicle for injections and for external preparations (topical)
What is the most desirable polar solvent?
Distilled Water
What is potable water?
Water that is “fit to drink”
It may contain impurities and minerals:
Ions
Organic matter
Atmospheric gases
Suspended materials (clay, silt, etc)
How is water made potable from raw sources?
Removal of insoluble matter via settling and filtration
Destruction of pathogenic organisms by chlorination (boil and treat with chlorinating agent)
Once processed, potable water contains less than 0.1% of total solids
Is potable water an acceptable ingredient in pharmaceutical preparations?
No, potable water still contains many impurities. It serves as the starting point for further processing
What types of water are used in pharmaceutical preparations?
Purified water (dilutin for non-sterile preparations)
Water for injections (sterile, no particles or pyrogens)
Sterilized water
Bacteriostatic Water for Injection (used in multi-dose sterile preparations
Do formulations that use sterile water need preservatives?
Single dose formulations can sometimes go without preservatives, but multi-dose formulations need preservatives. Preservatives prevent contamination following each use
What are some semi-polar solvents commonly used in pharmaceutical preparations?
Alcohol (Ethanol) is the most common semi-polar solvent. It is often used to dissolve organic compounds.
The following are also used in pharmaceutical preparations:
Isopropyl alcohol
Glycerin
Propylene glycol
Polyethylene glycol 400
What is an elixir?
Alcohol+water=hydroalcoholic solution (elixir)
Elixirs can dissolve both alcohol and water soluble compounds
What are the advantages of semi-polar solvents?
Better solubility for many compunds
Better drug stability (reduced hydrolysis and bacterial growth)
Is alcohol (ethanol) miscible in a wide variety of other solvents?
Yes
ex. Caster oil (not other fixed or mineral oils), Water, other semi-polar solvents
What are the limits for alcohol content in OTC products?
Children under 6: below 0.5%
Children 6-12: below 5%
12+ (Teens and Adults): below 10%
What are the different types of alcohol?
Denatured alcohol (ketones or kerosene): not fit for internal use
Absolute alcohol (99.5% ethanol v/v): water-free ethanol
Diluted Alcohol NF (equal amounts of water and alcohol)
Rubbing Alcohol (70% alcohol): for external use only
Are mixed solvents more effective in their ability to dissolve solutes?
In some cases, water and alcohol mixed solutions have better solubility compared to either solvent on their own
How should solutes be added to a mixed solution?
It is important that each solute is first dissolved into the solvent it is most soluble. The two solutions are then blended into a mixed solution. Usually the solution without actual drug compound is poured into the drug containing solution (ensures the drug solution concentration remains well above near zero, prevents the drug from precipitating out)
What is complexation?
They are loose molecular associations that can either increase or decrease solubility
Ex. Tetracycline complexes with Ca2+ from mil/milk products to form an insoluble complex that decreases the drug’s dissolution and absorption
What types of drugs are susceptible to complexation with di/trivalent ions?
Certain antibiotics (tetracyclines, fluoroquinolones)
Certain osteoporosis drugs (risedronate)
Thyroid medications (levothyroxine)
What is the difference between molarity and morality?
Molarity: mol/L
Molality: mol/kg
What are some different ways drug concentration can be represented?
Molarity and Molality
Osmolarity: Osmol/L(# of moles contributing to osmotic pressure of the solution, moles of ions following dissolution into water)
Units of potency/unit volume: I.U/L
Weight/Unit Volume: g/L, mg/mL, etc.
Percentage: w/v, v/v, w/w, mg%, etc.
Parts per million (PPM): #of parts of substance/1 million units of solvent
What is the use of excipients in solutions?
Help increase storage stability, enhance solubility, taste, etc.
What are some conversion rates between metric and pharmacy units?
5mL = one tsp
10mL= two tsp
15mL=three tsp(one tbsp)
What are some requirements for an oral solution?
Physical stability
Chemical stability
Microbiological stability
Palatability
Pleasing appearance
What does physical stability in oral solutions look like?
No discolouration/cloudiness
No precipitation
No loss of elegance
No loss of taste
What does chemical stability look like in oral solutions?
There must not be changes to the molecular structure of the drug (maintain integrity and potency of drug)
pH must be controlled to ensure stability
Hydrolysis also needs to be limited, this can be done with the use of non-aqueous solvents like alcohol
Oxidation can be controlled through the use of antioxidants like ascorbic acid
What does microbiological stability mean in oral solutions?
Preservatives are commonly added to improve shelf life. Examples of preservatives include glycerin, alcohol, and anti microbial
What are some characteristics held by the “ideal” additive to an oral solution?
- Pharmacologically inactive and non-toxic
- Potent, therefore can be used in low concentrations
- No unpleasant odour or flavour
- Compatible with drug and other excipients
- pH stable and resistant to light energy
- Soluble in vehicle/solvent