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Saturday, February 27, 2021

Advantages and disadvantages of emulsion dosage form

The pharmaceutical emulsion is a biphasic liquid dosage form that has several advantages and some disadvantages, let’s check them.

The dosage forms are pharmaceutical products that are specifically a mixture of active ingredients and excipients and are formulated by a different process in a particular configuration such as solid, liquid, semi-solid, and gaseous dosage forms. The different types of dosage forms depend on the physical form of the drug and route of drug delivery/administration.
The liquid dosage forms such as syrups, emulsion, suspensions, linctus, elixirs, drops, and gargles, etc. are one of the most commonly used dosage forms since it is more suitable for to swallow as compared with solid oral dosage.
The pharmaceutical emulsion is a thermodynamically unstable system containing a minimum of two immiscible liquid phases one among which is dispersed as globules within the other liquid phase stabilized by a third material called an emulsifying agent. Emulsions or creams are a commonly prescribed product and are used in the form of lotions, creams, and liniments, etc.

Advantages of emulsion dosage form:

  • The major advantage of the emulsion dosage form is that it is used to deliver drugs that are poorly soluble in water, but easily soluble in oil.
  • Another major advantage of the emulsion is that it is possible to include two incompatible ingredients/ drugs in a dose, one in each phase of the emulsion.
  • The solubility of drugs can provide more bioavailability due to which emulsion can provide increased bioavailability of those drugs that have low aqueous solubility.
  • The pharmaceutical emulsions can be used to mask the unpleasant taste and odor of the active pharmaceutical ingredients by dissolving the API in the internal phase of an o/w emulsion, the external phase contains the suitable sweetening and flavoring agents.
  • It can be formulated as sustained-release medication and can be prepared with commonly used excipients.
  • Drugs that are more stable in the oily phase compared to the aqueous phase may show better stability in the emulsion dosage form.
  • The oral solid oral dosage forms such as a tablet, capsules, powders, granules, and caplets need to swallow that is difficult especially for child and elderly patients. Emulsions can be used to administer drugs to patients who have difficulty swallowing solid dosage forms.
  • It has a simple and self-administration of the medication and does not produce any kind of pain like the parenteral route (Injection).

Disadvantages of emulsion dosage form:

  • The major disadvantage of the emulsion dosage form is that the emulsions are thermodynamically unstable and hence can prepare to stabilize from the separation of the two phases, which means that it is difficult to formulate.
  • A uniform and precise dose of the drug cannot be obtained; it needs to be measured at each time of dose.
  • Emulsion medications are heavy, prone to container breakage, and difficult to transport.
  • The storage conditions of the emulsion can affect stability therefore it requires special storage conditions.
  • If the preparation is not shaken well before use, the dose may vary each time.
  • It is liable for microbial contamination that can lead to cracking.
  • It needs a special manufacturing process, instruments, and trained person resulting in the emulsion is a more costly product than other dosage forms.

Commonly asked questions on dosage forms are as follows.

What are the types of emulsions?
The emulsions are classified into the following types.
1. Simple emulsion-A: oil in water (O/W), B: water in oil (W/O) emulsion
2. Multiple emulsions- A: water-in-oil-in-water (W/O/W), B: oil-in-water-in-oil (O/W/O) Emulsion
3. Microemulsions- A: oil-in-water microemulsions, B: water-in-oil microemulsions

What is the importance of dosage forms?
Dosage forms are important to protect the active ingredient, to improve the rate of drug release, to provide safe and effective delivery, and to perform the optimal action of the drug.

What is the difference between emulsion and suspension?
The major difference between emulsion and suspension is that the emulsion is a heterogeneous mixture of two immiscible liquids, whereas suspension is a heterogeneous mixture, in which the dispersed particles are large and settle upon standing.
 
 
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Tuesday, February 23, 2021

Different types of dosage forms

Dosage forms have different types that depend on the route of drug delivery/method and can also be classified based on their physical form.

Dosage forms are pharmaceutical products that are particular mixtures of drug and excipients and are prepared in various ways in a special configuration such as solid-liquid, semi-solid, and gaseous dosage forms.
Medications are only effective when they reach their site of action, therefore the different routes of drug administration and dosage forms are used to reach the target area to act through several types of the dosage form. Medications are administered through various routes of administration that depend on the way of absorption necessary for their therapeutic effect.

Importance of dosage forms:

Appropriate dosage forms are required to protect the active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) from the influences of atmospheric conditions such as temperature, humidity, or oxygen, improve therapeutic activity, and patient compliance. It is also required to protect the drug from destruction by gastric acid in the stomach upon oral administration, to mask the unpleasant taste and odor, and for providing extended drug action through controlled release mechanisms.
The need for dosage forms is as follows.
  • To provide an accurate dose to the target tissue
  • To protect the drug e.g. coated tablets
  • To protect gastric juice
  • To masking taste and odor
  • To bypass the first-pass metabolism
  • To provide rapid or sustained or controlled release medication
  • To insert medicine into the cavities of the body

Different types of dosage forms:

The dosage forms are the different drug product forms by which the medication is administered and they are classified into two types such as according to the route of drug administration and according to the physical form.
Depending on the physical form, the dosage forms are of several types which are as follows.

1. Solid dosage form:

Solid dosage forms are the most commonly used dosage form as compared to other dosage forms and it is one of the most commonly prescribed dosage forms by a doctor as it offers several advantages.
E.g. tablets, capsules (hard/soft gelatin), suppositories, troches, powders, pellets, lozenges, caplets, and granules, etc.

2. Semisolid dosage form:

The semisolid dosage form is neither solid nor liquid, though, it is a mixture or combination of both, and it is used for both local and systemic effects. It can directly apply to the skin, buccal tissue, cornea, rectal tissue, cornea, and outer ear lining nasal mucosa.
E.g. Gels, creams, paste, ointments, suppositories, lotions, and liniment, etc.

3. Liquid dosage form:

The liquid form of medication dose for administration or consumption, and can be administered as oral or parenteral, or topical. It can be classified as monophasic and biphasic and is useful for patients who have difficulty swallowing solid medicines, especially for child and elderly patients.
E.g. Emulsion, suspension, syrup, elixirs, parenteral preparations, linctuses, lotions, eardrops, eardrops, mouthwash, nasal drops, and gargles, etc.

4. Gaseous dosage form:

In gaseous dosage forms, the active pharmaceutical ingredients (API) are given in the form of gas, are packed in a special container which gets released upon applying pressure. It is used in the nose and mouth for local application and topical application on the skin.
E.g. Inhalers, aerosols, vaporizers, sprays, and nebulizers or atomizers.

Classification of dosage forms

Depending on the route of administration, the dosage forms are of several types which are as follows.


1. Oral dosage form:

Oral administration is a route of administration where medication is taken through the mouth. It is the most commonly used route for the treatment of the disease as it is the safest, convenient, and economical way to deliver drugs. Most drugs in this route are absorbed by the small intestine however some are absorbed by the stomach and colon.
E.g. Tablets, capsules, liquids, granules, powders, suspension, and syrup, etc.

2. Parenteral dosage form:

Drugs are administered in a parenteral manner, which means that the drug is injected directly into the body using a syringe and needle or intravenous infusion set. The common parenteral routes are intravenous (in a vein), intramuscular (in a muscle), subcutaneous (under the skin), and intra-dermal (under the epidermis) route, they each have needs administer properly by the specific skill.
This route can be chosen when the drug is poorly absorbed from the stomach or metabolized during its passage through the liver or inactivated by digestive enzymes or if the patient is unable to take orally or to achieve a rapid onset of action.
E.g. Injections, solutions, or suspensions


3. Topical dosage form:

The topical dosage form is applied to a particular part of the body such as the skin or mucous membrane to produce the local and systemic effects effect of the drug.
It is preferred over other routes because it provides local therapeutic activity when applied to the skin or mucous membrane and does not cause pain, there is no issue with the unpleasant taste and odor of the drug.
E.g. Ointment, paste, cream, gel, lotion, eye drops (ophthalmic), ear drops (otic), and transdermal patch, etc.

4. Inhalation dosage form:

The inhalation route of administration involves the administration of a drug through the respiratory system with an appropriate combination of excipients in the form of gas, fine powder, and aerosols, usually by oral or nasal inhalation. It is more effective in local and systemic drug delivery for pulmonary and non-pulmonary diseases.
E.g. inhaler, aerosol, nebulizer, and vaporizer, etc.

5. Instilled in the body cavities:

Rectal and vaginal administration dosage forms are used for local as well as systemic drug delivery and may provide some unique advantages.
E.g. suppository pessary and douche etc.

Commonly asked questions on dosage forms are as follows.

On what basis can the pharmaceutical dosage forms be classified?
The dosage forms can be classified based on the physical form of the drug and the route of administration.

What is the most common route of administration?
The oral route is one of the most commonly used routes of administration because it is cost-effective and more convenient for the patient.

What are the types of modified release drug delivery systems?
A variety of modified dosage forms are formulated to reduce side effects as well as increase patient compliance by reducing the frequency of dosing. Sustained-release, delayed-release, extended-release, controlled-release, targeted-release, prolonged-action, and repeat-action dosage forms are the types of modified dosage forms.
 
 
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Thursday, February 18, 2021

What is the importance of dosage forms?

The pharmaceutical dosage forms are very important in the treatment of various diseases because there are some conditions where only a specific route of administration is possible.

The medication is only effective when they reach their site of action hence the different routes of drug administration and dosage forms are used according to the treatment. The dosage form is the physical form of the medication, such as the solid, liquid, or gas by which it is distributed within the body as appropriate to the specific site of action.
The proper formulation and designing of any dosage forms need to be consideration of the amount and physical, chemical, and biological characteristics of the drug and additives (excipients) which are used in the manufacture of the product. Common dosage forms consist of, tablets, capsules, solutions injections, semisolids, and aerosols.

Characteristics of ideal dosage form:

The dosage forms contain a combination of active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) excipients (non-drug substances) as well as some non-recoverable ingredients. The drug should be in the most convenient and appropriate form so that it reaches the preferred site of action, which is influenced by the type of dosage form of the medication. A variety of dosage forms are available that are used according to a particular reason, depending on the characteristics and advantages.
Several factors state the characteristics of an ideal dosage form, they are outlined below.
  • It should be safe and simple to administer
  • It should be economical for the patient
  • It should be physically and chemically stable in environmental conditions
  • It should be easy to reproduce and formulate
  • It should maintain its therapeutic activity throughout the shelf life
  • It should provide high patient compliance
  • It should be easy to handle for all kind of patients
  • It should be biocompatible
Importance of dosage forms

Importance of dosage forms:

The dosage form is a method of entering or delivering into biological systems hence it has very importance in the pharmaceutical field, typically, they are classified as solids, liquids, semi-solid, and gaseous dosage forms.
  • To protect the active ingredient from the destructive effects of atmospheric conditions (oxygen, humidity, and temperature) e.g. e.g., coated tablets.
  • To provide the rapid and exact dose of drugs in the target tissue. e.g., injection (parenteral route).
  • To give the medication which bypasses the first-pass metabolism e.g., topical dosage forms, injections, etc.
  • To improve the rate of drug release in the form of controlled, sustained, prolonged, and extended-release.
  • To give medication those are effective, stable, and safe for consumption under particular storage conditions e.g., powders for reconstitution.
  • To masks the unpleasant taste, odor, and color of the drug.
  • To provide a rapid onset of medication using inhalation, sublingual, and buccal route.
  • To provides the safe and effective delivery of the medicines at the site of action.
  • To protect the drug from the destructive effects of gastric acid or gastric secretions of the stomach after oral administration of a dosage form.
  • To deliver the medication to the body cavities like vaginal and rectal suppositories.
  • To provide a required dose of active ingredients that is unstable or insoluble within the desired vehicle.
  • To perform the optimal action of the drug by topical routes such as ointments, creams, transdermal patches, nasal, ear, and ophthalmic preparations.
Commonly asked questions on dosage forms are as follows.

What is the need for dosage forms?
The basic reason for designing the dosage form is to protect the drug from external environmental conditions, improve therapeutic activity, and patient compliance.

What are the types of dosage forms?
The dosage form is classified based on physical form and route of administration. Based on the physical form it is solid, liquid, semisolid, and gaseous dosage form. Based on the route of administration it is the oral, topical, parenteral, nasal, ocular, transdermal, and otic route of administration.

What is the major advantage of solid dosage form?
The major advantage of solid dosage forms is that it is simple to administer, has the lowest variability, high precision, stable, and provide an accurate dosage of the drug.
 
 
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Tuesday, February 16, 2021

Advantages and disadvantages of oral dosage forms

The oral dosage forms are usually the most convenient choice and are preferred delivery due to its offers several advantages over different other administration of a drug.

The dosage form is formulations or pharmaceutical preparations in which a particular combination of active pharmaceutical ingredients (API) and excipients is presented in a unique mixture to make accurate and easy administration and delivery of medication.
Dosage forms are how active pharmaceutical ingredients (API) are delivered to places of action within the body. Taking medication by the oral route is one of the most preferred routes as it is a simple, convenient, and easy way to take medication for any patient.
The solid oral dosage forms contain tablets, capsules, granules, powders, sachets, orally dispersible films, etc., and liquid oral dosage forms and semi solids dosage forms contain solutions, emulsion, suspensions, syrups, dispersions, semi-solid, soft gel, etc.

Advantages of oral dosage forms:

  • The major advantage of oral dosage forms is that it is the most natural, convenient and the simplest way to administer medicines.
  • The oral dosage forms provide an accurate dose of the medication in the form of tablets, capsules, caplets, granules, powders, liquid, oral suspension, syrup, oral drop, and oral solution, etc.
  • Oral medications are easy to formulate and produce in the pharmaceutical industry and economical for packaging, transport, and storage as compared to other types of dosage forms.
  • As compared to parenteral, sublingual, buccal, inhalation, topical dosage forms, oral dosage are economical, painless and suitable for any patient, whatever the age is.
  • Self-administration of oral dosage forms is possible, also for children and elderly patients.
  • It can be prepared as an immediate, delayed, sustained, extended, and controlled release drug delivery system.
  • A large number of active pharmaceutical ingredients (API) and excipients are available to a formulated wide variety of medications according to requirements.
  • It provides chemical and physical stability in atmospheric conditions such as moisture, air, and light, etc.

Disadvantages of oral dosage forms:

  • The major disadvantage of oral dosage forms is that due to of bitter and unpleasant taste and odor of some drugs it is difficult to formulate with a pleasant taste and.
  • Oral medication is not suitable for the uncooperative, unconscious patients and is also not suitable for the patient with a gastrointestinal disorder such as constipation, diarrhea, ulceration, and hyper-acidity in the stomach.
  • Children and elderly patients experience discomfort and avoid swallowing.
  • It is not suitable for drugs that are liable to inactivation or destruction in the gastrointestinal tract (GIT).
  • Some of the drugs can cause gastric irritation in the digestive system when administered orally.
  • Compared to a solid oral dosage form, a liquid oral dosage form needs to measure volume that can change the dosage of the drug.
Commonly asked questions on dosage forms are as follows.

What is the importance of dosage forms?
Dosage forms are important as they usually specify which way a particular medication should be administered. For example oral, injection, rectal, nasal, transdermal, inhalation, topical, etc.

What are the different routes of administration?
The dosage forms come in several types and they reach the site of action using the different route of administration. Oral, topical, rectal, parenteral, sublingual, buccal, transdermal, inhalation and nasal are the commonly used routes of drug administration.

What is the classification of dosage forms based on the physical form?
They are classified according to the route of administration and physical form. According to physical form, the dosage forms are classifieds into solid dosage forms, semisolid dosage forms, liquid dosage forms, and gaseous dosage forms.
 
 
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Friday, February 12, 2021

Advantages and disadvantages of ocular route of drug administration

The ocular route of drug administration is generally associated to treat eye diseases; it is one of the most challenging drug delivery systems to the pharmaceutical scientist. It has significant advantages as well as some disadvantages, let’s check them.

Medication is effective when they reach the site of action therefore the different types of diseases are treating by using different routes and that is according to the site and requirement. Drug delivery to the eye has generally involved two basic methods of drug administration namely topical route and systemic route.
The ocular drug delivery system is consisting to deliver the active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) to the eye and it can classify into posterior and anterior segments. As the eye has unique anatomy and physiology it is one of the challenging tasks to maintain the therapeutic level of the medication at the site of action.
The ophthalmic preparations are available in the form of water solutions, isotonic solutions, buffered solutions, emulsions, and several types of dosage forms with one or more active ingredients. Since the drops are simple to administer, the eye drop solution is the most prescribed dosage form.

Advantages of the ocular route of drug administration:

  • The major advantage of the ocular route of drug administration is that it provides direct application to the site of action and ensures that the active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) is available in higher concentrations than the drug obtained from oral administration.
  • The ocular route has faster drug absorption and less systemic and visual side effects.
  • By avoiding the pulsed doses of conventional systems, it offers accuracy and uniformity in dose rate.
  • It offers better housing of delivery systems.
  • There is no issue with the unpleasant taste and odor of the drug as it is not meant to be swallowed (bypasses the first-pass metabolism).
  • It is also suitable for all patients (child and elderly also).
  • The ophthalmic route can improve patient compliance, provide comfort and enhance the therapeutic performance of the drug.
  • Targeting within the ocular globe is done to prevent loss of ocular tissue.
  • It does not produce any type of pain that is produced by the paternal route (intravenous, intramuscular, and subcutaneous route).
  • It is a simple process that makes the self-administration of drugs possible.
  • It requires a small amount of drug in the formulation.
  • It is possible to achieve sustained and controlled release of the medication using the ocular route.

Disadvantages of the ocular route of drug administration:

  • The major disadvantage of the ocular route of drug administration is that the rapid and extensive elimination of traditional eye drops which can cause extensive loss of drug resulting in poor retention of the drug at the site of action.
  • The quick elimination of the medication through tear flow and eye blink results in a short period of therapeutic effect, which can lead to frequent dosing.
  • After application of the ointment, drops, and other medication may be a temporary blurring of vision.
  • Limited drugs are suitable to formulate for the ocular route.
  • It has limited permeability to the cornea resulting in reduced absorption of ophthalmic drugs.
  • The pharmaceutical industries need special processes, equipment, and requirements (sterile) to manufacture ophthalmic dosage forms, which make them more costly than oral dosage forms.
Commonly asked questions on the route of drug administration are as follows.

What are the routes of drug administration?
Oral, sublingual, buccal, rectal, transdermal, vaginal, nasal, parenteral, and inhalation route are commonly used routes of drug administration

Where in the body is an ocular medication given?
For most drugs applied topically, the site of action is usually various layers of the cornea, sclera, conjunctiva, and the other tissues of the anterior segment.

What is the advantage of oral drug administration?
The oral route of drug administration is simple, convenient, suitable for all, and that readily available by prescription.


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Friday, February 5, 2021

Advantages and disadvantages of topical route of drug administration

The topical drug route of drug administration is a drug delivery system by applying it to body surfaces such as skin or mucous membranes. It offers significant advantages as the skin is ideal for both systemic and local effects, although it also has some disadvantages compared to other routes, let's check them.

Medications are used to treat a wide variety of diseases, but they only effective when they reach their site of action therefore the different routes are used to deliver active pharmaceutical ingredients (API) to the site of action. The route of drug administration is generally selected by the location or site to which the drug is applied or where the target of action is.
The topical route of drug administration is a method of delivering medication that is applied to a particular part of the body to produce the pharmacological effect of the drug. To treat various diseases there are many common formulations used in transdermal medicine such as ointments, creams, lotions, liniments, gels, patches, sprays, and powders, etc.

Advantages of the topical route of drug administration:

  • The major advantage of the topical route of drug administration is that it is convenient for patients who have difficulty swallowing solid oral dosage forms (tablets, capsules, caplets).
  • It is convenient, simple and Self-medication can possible for patients, it just needs to be applied to the affected area or specific site.
  • It can provide or cover a larger area of application than the other route.
  • It is also convenient and simple than the parenteral route (injection) since it does not produce pain.
  • No high concentration of the drug is required; it can work with low concentration.
  • It provides a high level of patient satisfaction.
  • The gastro-intestinal incompatibility will be avoided by using this route.
  • The topical route of drug administration can offer high levels of patient compliance and satisfaction.
  • No issue of unpleasant taste and smell of drugs, suitable for the child and elderly patients.
  • Medication that is administered orally can cause various digestive side effects, a topical route of drug administration eliminates this limitation as it bypasses the first-pass metabolism.
  • It gives better adhesion and lasts long after application hence it gives prolonged action.
  • Topical dosage forms are more stable in atmospheric conditions than oral and parenteral dosage forms.

Disadvantages of the topical route of drug administration:

  • The major disadvantage of the topical route is that the drugs having poorly lipid-soluble and high molecular weight are not absorbed by the skin or mucous membranes.
  • Rapid onset of action may not be possible as the drug takes some time to penetrate (absorb).
  • Patients feel uncomfortable, as staining or messing of clothes is often associated with the use of ointments, creams, pastes, and gels.
  • Another disadvantage of the topical route is that it has no dosing accuracy.
  • It is difficult to formulate with different drugs and ingredients or excipients.
  • It is not suitable for all patients; some patients may face local skin irritation or allergenic reactions.
Commonly asked questions on the route of drug administration are as follows.

What are the different routes of administration?
Oral, sublingual, intravenous, subcutaneous, intramuscular otic, transdermal, inhalation, nasal, and rectal different routes are used to provide medication.

How are topical drugs absorbed?
Typically, a topical medication is applied to the skin, wherever the active ingredients either treat the site of application or are absorbed into the bloodstream through the dermis.
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Wednesday, February 3, 2021

Advantages and disadvantages of intramuscular route of drug administration

The intramuscular route of drug administration is one of the commonly used routes for parenteral injection. Here are some advantages and disadvantages of intramuscular injection are mentioned.

The medication is effective when they reach their site of action therefore different routes are used. A route of drug administration is the way by which an active ingredient (API) is brought into contact to the particular site of the body, which route of drug administration is to be used depends on the physical and chemical properties of the drug.
Injections are administered in different ways, the most common of which are intravenous, subcutaneous, and intramuscular. Intravenous is injected directly into the veins, subcutaneous is injected into the skin, and intramuscular is administered into the muscles.
The intramuscular route of drug administration is the method of administering drugs specifically to the depth of the bulk of the selected muscle. The drug administered in the muscle is usually quickly absorbed into the bloodstream and avoids the first-pass metabolism that occurs with the oral route of administration. It can also be administered as depot injections, providing a slow, sustained release of the drug over a long period of time.

Advantages of the intramuscular route of drug administration:

  • The major advantage of the intramuscular route of drug administration is that it delivers the medication directly into the central area of a specific muscle which provides rapid and uniform absorption of the drug.
  • As compared to the oral and subcutaneous routes it offers rapid onset of action.
  • It is suitable to introduce a large amount of the drug compared to the subcutaneous route.
  • The intramuscular route has efficacy and potency compared to other parenteral routes of drug administration.
  • It also avoids gastric factors that control the absorption of the medication.
  • As compared with the intravenous route it allows for slow, prolonged, and sustained release of the drug.
  • The intramuscular route avoids the gastrointestinal tract and first-pass metabolism.
  • It is suitable for those drugs who not recommended for other routes of administration.
  • There is no issue related to the unpleasant odor and taste of the drug as compared with solid oral dosage forms (tablets, capsules) since it directly injected using injection and syringe.

Disadvantages of the intramuscular route of drug administration:

  • The major advantage of the intramuscular route of drug administration is that intramuscular injection is futile if the precise site wherever it's administered isn't conducive to the ready absorption of the drug.
  • The intramuscular route is painful and there may be an abscess at the site of injection, so older and child patients avoid taking medication through the intramuscular route.
  • It is difficult in self-administration that limits its use, requires a trained person as it injected deep into the muscle.
  • It can cause break the skin barrier.
  • It also aseptic conditions are needed as same as other parenteral routes.
  • It may cause irregular absorption of the drug.
  • It is only suitable for soluble drugs, the drug which is in the form of suspension and oil cannot be administered.
Commonly asked questions on the route of drug administration are as follows.

Why do we use intramuscular injection?
The intramuscular route is a technique of delivering the drug deep into the muscles which are commonly used for the patients who are unable to obtain drugs through other commonly used routes, uncooperative, non-compliant, and reluctant patients.

What is the major disadvantage of the parenteral route of drug administration?
The parenteral route is applicable for the rapid onset of action, not for extended prolonged, and sustained-release of the drug.

What are the common types of routes of drug administration?
Oral, parenteral, Rectal, Enteral, Buccal or Sublingual, nasal, inhalation, otic, transdermal, and ocular are the major routes of drug administration that are commonly used.

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