Syrups, Elixirs, & Tinctures (lecture 3)

Question 1

Syrups

Answer 1

Syrups are liquid dosage forms with a high sugar content:
 Sucrose is most frequently used; adds sweetness and viscosity
 Are aqueous
 Most syrups contain 60%-80% sucrose
 In special circumstances, sucrose is not used and is replaced with dextrose (a sugar) or sugar alcohols (e.g. sorbitol, glycerol/glycerin, and propylene glycol)

Question 2

Elixirs:

Answer 2

 Less sugar content than syrups, less sweet, and less taste masking of
drugs
 Has alcohol (EtOH) mixed with water i.e. water/alcohol co-solvent mixtures
 Can dissolve hydrophobic drugs in alcohol
 10%-12% alcohol content=self-preserving, antimicrobial preservative is not required

Question 3

Tinctures:

Answer 3

Tinctures:
 More alcohol content than elixirs
 Typically 50%-60% alcohol (EtOH) and can go has high as 90% alcohol

Question 4

Viscosity

Answer 4

is the resistance to flow; fluidity is the inverse of viscosity

Question 5

iscosity-modifying (enhancing or thickening) agents

Answer 5

• Relative property to pure H2O at 20oC= 1 cp; eg. ethanol (1.19 cps), olive oil (100 cps), glycerin (400 cps), and castor oil (1000 cps)
• As temp increases, viscosity decreases and fluidity increases
• Measure viscosity with a viscometer