Pharmaceutics B

(1103213)

Isotonic Solution
Dr. Zahid Hussain (PhD)
Office : M23-143
Email : zhussain@sharjah.ac.ae
Phone : +971504081850
 Learning objectives

At the end of this lecture, student are expected to understand:

 Osmotic pressure
 Isotonic, hypotonic, and hypertonic solutions
 Methods for adjustment of isotonicity.
 Calculations related to isotonicity.
Colligative Properties

“Osmotic Pressure”
 Osmotic Pressure

Osmosis is the spontaneous net movement of solvent molecules through a 

semi-permeable membrane from a region of low solute concentration to a
region of higher solute concentration to equalize the osmotic pressure on the
two sides of the semipermeable membrane.
 Tonicity
 A solution's tonicity often directly correlates with the osmolarity of the
solution.
 Osmolarity describes the total solute concentration of the solution.
 A solution with low osmolarity has a greater number of water
molecules relative to the number of solute particles. On the other
hand, a solution with higher osmolarity has fewer water molecules
with respect to the solute particles.
 Tonicity of a solution determine the rate and extent of osmosis inside
or outside of the cells.
Tonicity and osmosis
 Tonicity or Osmosis

Isotonic solution

Hypotonic solution Hypertonic solution

Types of solutions
based on
osmolarity
 Hypotonic Solution
 Hypotonic solutions are the solutions having lower
tonicity/osmolarity/osmotic pressure than the blood plasma or
other body or cells fluids.
 If we administer hypotonic drug solution into the body, it
means that the extracellular fluid has a lower solute
concentration (higher water molecules concentration) than the
body cell. In this situation, the water will undergo osmosis from
extracellular fluids into the cell and may cause cell swelling or
bursting.
 Hypertonic Solution
 Hypertonic solutions are the solutions having higher
tonicity/osmolarity/osmotic pressure than the blood plasma or
other body or cells fluids.
 If we administer hypertonic drug solution into the body, it
means that the extracellular fluid has a higher solute
concentration (lower water molecule concentration) than the
body cell. In this situation, the water will undergo osmosis from
inside the cells to the extracellular fluids and may cause cells
shrinkage.
Isotonic Solution
 Isotonic solutions

• IV/IM/SC Injections
• IV Infusions
• Eye drops
• Nasel drops
• Ear drops
 POP QUIZ
A doctor injected a patient with what the doctor thinks is an
isotonic saline solution. The patient dies, and an autopsy
reveals that many red blood cells have been destroyed. Do
you think the solution the doctor injected was really isotonic?
 POP QUIZ
When two solutions having different osmolarity place together
and separated by semipermeable membrane, which of the
following processes may takes place?

A. Absorption
B. Adsorption
C. Osmosis
D. Nothing will happen
 POP QUIZ
Suppose an animal cells contain 80% water and 20% solute
contents. Having considered this, a solution containing 75%
solvent and 25% solute will be :

A. Isotonic
B. Hypotonic
C. Hypertonic
D. None of the above
 POP QUIZ
Plant cells will become turgid when placed in which of the
following types of solution?
A. Isotonic
B. Hypotonic
C. Hypertonic
D. None of the above
 POP QUIZ
Which type of transport it refers when water crosses the
plasma membrane?
A. Diffusion
B. Osmosis
C. Ionization
D. Active transport
 Clinical Significance of Isotonicity

• Clinical significance of isotonicity

 The clinical significance of isotonicity is to ensure that the

administered drug solution do not damage the body tissues or
produce painful swelling of the tissues when administered.

 Administration of a hypotonic solution may produces painful

swelling of tissues as water moves from the site of
administration to the tissues or body cells which may cause
phlebitis or thrombophlebitis.
 Phlebitis and Thrombophlebitis

Phlebitis is an inflammation of the vein. Phlebitis is almost always

accompanied by a blood clot or thrombus in the affected vein, a condition
known as Thrombophlebitis.
 Clinical Significance of Isotonicity

• Clinical significance of isotonicity

 Hypertonic solutions produce shrinking of tissues as water

moves out from the cells in an attempt to dilute the
hypertonic solution.

 Administration of a hypotonic solution is generally more

severe than the hypertonic solutions, since ruptured cells can
never be repaired.
Methods to adjust Isotnicity

Freezing point
depression
method

Molecular NaCl
concentration
method
Methods Equivalent
method

White Vincent
method
1. Freezing point depression method

STEPS TO FOLLOW

1. Required freezing point depression (FPD): For example; FP of

body fluid or isotonic solution is -0.52C (or FPD of 0.52C).

2. FPD caused by drug(s) ingredients in the formulation.

3. Subtraction of value obtained in step 2 from step 1.

4. Calculation of the amount of adjusting substance required to

cause FPD (calculated in step 3).
1. Freezing point depression method

Example
1. What proportion of procaine hydrochloride will yield a solution isotonic
with blood plasma. FPD of 1% procaine hydrochloride is 0.122.

Solution:

Step 1: FPD required to make isotonic solution = 0.52

Step 2: FPD of 1% Procaine hydrochloride = 0.122
Step 3: FPD of 1% / 0.122 = X / 0.52 = 4.26 g

Answer = 4.26 g/100 mL

 2. NaCl Equivalent Method

STEPS TO FOLLOW

1. Quantity of NaCl required: For example; 0.9% NaCl solution is isotonic with body fluids.

2. Amount of NaCl contributed by the drug(s) ingredients in the formulation. This can be
calculated by multiplying the weight (W) of each ingredient with its NaCl equivalent (E).

3. Subtraction of value obtained in step 2 from step 1.

4. Addition of NaCl as per calculated in Step 3 to make it isotonic.

5. If the adjusting substance is different (e.g., dextrose or boric acid), then calculate the
amount of that adjusting substance by dividing the value obtained in step 3 by E value
of that substance.
 3. White Vincent Method

1. This method involves the addition of water to a specific amount of

the drug to make it isotonic.
2. Then an isotonic or isotonic-buffered diluting vehicle will be added
to bring the solution to the final volume.

3. V = W x E x 111.1
W = Amount of drug (g)
E = Sodium chloride equivalent (constant and specific for each drug)
V = Volume in ml of isotonic solution that may be prepared by mixing the drug
with water.
 Reference/Recommended Books

1. Howard C. Ansel & Shelly J. Stockton. Pharmaceutical calculations, 15th

edition, Lippincott Williams and Wilkins, Baltimore, MD (2017).
2. Ansel’s Pharmaceutical Dosage Forms and Drug Delivery Systems. Ed. L.
V. Allen & H. C. Ansel, 10th Edition, 2011, Pub. Lippincott Williams and
Wilkins, Baltimore. ISBN: 9781451188769.