PDDS Lab

Compounding Exercise no. 11 is about Tinctures and Spirits

Spirits are classified under miscellaneous solutions. These are alcoholic or

hydroalcoholic solutions of volatile substances. The alcoholic content in spirits
usually contains as high as 60%. The use of alcohol as solvent is useful in
dissolving volatile matter in a crude drug.

Tinctures are topical solutions using alcohol as vehicle. The use of alcohol for
both of these dosage forms renders them to be self-preserved.
 Compounding Exercise no. 11
Spirits are alcoholic or hydroalcoholic solutions of
volatile substances.
• Also called essences
• As high as 60% alcohol content
• When mixed with water or aqueous solution, salting
out may result forming a milky preparation
• Used as flavorant, stimulant

Methods of Preparation
Simple solution - Compound Orange Spirit, Camphor
Spirit, and Compound Cardamon Spirit
Solution by maceration –Peppermint spirit
Distillation –Whiskey and Brandy
 Compounding Exercise no. 11

Tinctures are alcoholic or hydroalcoholic solutions

prepared from vegetable materials or from chemical
substances
- contains 15-80% alcohol
- Potent drugs are prepared as 10% tinctures.
Methods of preparation:
1. Simple solution – chemical substances
2. Solution by Extraction –vegetable drugs
- Percolation
-Maceration
Examples:
Iodine, Thimerosal, Compound Benzoin, Paregoric
(Camphorated tincture of opium), Laudanum (Opium
Tincture), Sweet orange peel tincture
 Compounding Exercise no. 11

Comparing Tincture and Fluidextract-

Fluidextracts are concentrated (1g in 1ml) of vegetable
drugs, tinctures may be prepared from vegetable drugs
or chemicals with concentration usually of 10%
 Compounding Exercise no. 11
Aromatic Ammonia Spirit
Ammonium carbonate 34 g
API: Ammonium carbonate Strong ammonia soln 36 mL
Lemon oil 1 mL
Ammonia solution Lavender oil 1 mL
Nutmeg oil 1 mL
Alcohol 700 mL
Excipients: Lemon oil as odorant Purified water,
q.s. ad. 1000 mL
Lavender oil as odorant
Nutmeg oil as odorant
Alcohol as solvent, preservative
Purified water as solvent
Dosage form: Solution
Method used: Simple solution
 Compounding Exercise no. 11
Aromatic Ammonia Spirit
• Spirit of Sal Volatile
Description: clear solution with strong ammonia odor
Use/s: respiratory stimulant
Label: Red
Container: Boston round amber colored tight
container
Remarks: For external use only
 Compounding Exercise no. 11
Iodine Tincture
Rx 3
API: Iodine; slightly soluble in water Iodine 30 g
Potassium Iodide 15 g
(slightly soluble in water); Triiodide Alcohol, 70%,
form is the soluble form q.s. ad. 1000ml

Excipients: Potassium Iodide as

solubilizing agent
Alcohol as solvent, preservative
Purified water as solvent
Dosage form: Solution
Method used: Simple solution
 Compounding Exercise no. 11
Iodine Tincture
• Weak Iodine Solution
Description: clear solution, deep brown color and
with odor of Iodine
Use: Antiseptic, fungicide, germicide
Label: Red
Container: Boston round amber colored tight
container
Remarks: vapors may cause irritation to eyes, throat
or nose. Strong concentration is toxic and solutions
stain skin
*Lugol’s Solution (Strong Iodine Solution) –5 - 10%
 Compounding Exercise no. 11

Iodine Tincture
2-7% of elemental Iodine

Solubilizing agents: sodium or potassium iodide

Dissolved in mixture of water and alcohol
Strong Iodine tincture → 7%
Strong Iodine solution → Lugol’s solution, 5%
Povidone Iodine solution→ iodine in PVP
 Compounding Exercise no. 11
API: Orange Peel – (Citrus sinensis)
Contains the following constituents:
Carotenoids, Phenolic compounds,
essential oils (limonene, citral)
Neohesperidin and naringin, eriocitrin,
hesperidin (a flavanone glycoside),
flavonoids, flavanone glycosides,
flavones, flavonols, potassium, vitamin Orange Peel 500 g
B1, choline, folate (vitamin B 9) Talc 15 g
Alcohol,
q.s. ad. 1000 mL

Excipients: Talc used as dispersing agent

Dosage form: Solution: Tincture
Method used: Simple solution
Uses: Anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, bactericidal,
carminative, natural stimulant, stomachic, tonic.
 References
• Allen, L.V. & Ansel, H.C. (2014). Ansel’s Pharmaceutical Dosage
Forms and Drug Delivery Systems 10th Ed. Lippincott Williams and
Wilkins: Baltimore, USA
• Aulton, M.E. & Taylor, K.M.G. (2018) Aulton’s Pharmaceutics: The
Design and Manufacture of Medicines 5th Ed. Elsevier Ltd. China
• Rowe, R.C., Sheskey, P.J., & Quinn, M.E. (2009). Handbook of
Pharmaceutical Excipients 7th Ed.
• Remington’s Pharmaceutical Sciences Latest Edition
• https://pharmlabs.unc.edu
• https://www.pharmacist.com
• https://www.ashp.org
• https://www.pharmpress.com
• https://www.pharmapproach.com