INTRODUCTION TO DIFFERENT

DOSAGE FORMS

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Dept. of Pharmaceutics
 Drug
 Drug may be defined as an
agent or substance, intended
for use in the diagnosis,
mitigation, treatment, cure or
prevention of disease in human
beings or animals.
 Drugs are rarely administered
in their original or crude
forms. They are administered
in different dosage forms by
converting them into suitable
formulations.
Crude Drugs
Dosage Forms
 Dosage forms are the carrier through which
drug molecules are delivered to sites of action
within the body.
 Every dosage forms is a combination of the
drug and different kinds of non – drug
components called as Excipients or additives.
 The additives are used to give a particular
shape to the formulation, to increase stability,
palatability & more elegance to preparations.
Need For Dosage Forms
 Accurate dose.
 Protection e.g. coated tablets, sealed ampules.
 Protection from gastric juice, e.g. enteric coated
tablets.
 Masking unpleasant taste and odour.
 Provide drugs within body tissues, e.g. injection
 Sustained release medication.
 Facilation of Insertion of drugs into body
cavities (rectal, vaginal)
 Provide optimum drug action through
inhalation therapy.
 Provide drug action through topical
administration at local area of body. e.g.
creams, ointment, emulsion, lotions etc.
 Use of desired vehicle for insoluble drugs.
 Classification

Solid dosage Liquid dosage Semi solid dosage

forms forms forms

Biphasic Monophasic Internal External

Unit dosage Bulk
forms
Emulsion
Suspension External
Internal Ointment
Tablets Creams
Capsule Liniments pastes
Powders Syrups Lotions Jellies
Pills Internal External Elixirs Gargles
Linctus Throat paints
Mouth washes
Dusting powders Drops
Fine powders & Sprays Suppositories
Insufflations
granules Eye lotions Pessaries
Dentifrice
Eye drops
Snuffs
Nasal drops
Ear powders
Solid dosage forms
Solid dosage forms

Tablets Pills

Dusting Powders

Capsules
Granules
 Solid dosage forms one of the oldest dosage forms and most of
the solid dosage forms are available in Unit dose.
 Unit dose may be defined as a exact quantity of the drug
administered at once. e.g. Tablets, Capsule, pills, cachets,
powders etc.
 When drugs are to be administered orally in dry state, then
tablets, capsules are most convenient dosage forms.
 Some solids are supplied in bulk (Means quantity available in
large). Bulk powders can be supplied as Internal (Granules, Fine
powders) as well as External (Dusting Powders, Insufflations
etc)
 Dusting Powders
 Dusting powders are applied externally to skin, so they
should be applied in very fine state to avoid local irritation.
Hence dusting powders should be passed through sieve no
80 to obtained fined powders.
 Dusting powders are prepared by mixing of more than one
ingredients in which either starch, kaolin, or talc are used in
their formulation. Generally talc or kaolin are used because
they are inert in nature.
 Dusting powders are used for antiseptic, astringent,
absorbent, antiperspirant etc.
 Dusting powders are of two sub type they are as
I) Medical dusting powder
II) Surgical Dusting powders
Medical Dusting
Powders
 Medical Dusting powders are used to increase
superficial condition of skin.
 These are not applied on wounds, burns etc
 Medical dusting powders must be free from
dangerous pathogenic micro- organism.
Surgical Dusting Powders
 Surgical dusting powders are used in body cavities
and also on major wounds like as burns etc.
 They should be sterilized before use.
 They are mainly used for their antiseptic, absorbent
action.
Insufflations
 These are medicated dusting powders meant for
introduction into body cavities (nose, throat, ear, vagina
etc) with the help of an apparatus known as a insufflator.
 It sprays the powders (in a state of fine particles) on site
of application.
 Now a days insufflations are also available in pressure
aerosols. This pressure aerosols are used for
administration of potent drug.
 They are used in the treatment of ear, nose, throat
infections with antibiotics to produce local effect of
drugs.
Snuffs
 These are finely divided solid dosage forms of
medicaments which are inhaled into nostrils.
 They are mainly used for their antiseptic,
bronchodilator and decongestion action.
Granules
 Granulation is the process in which primary
powder particles are made to adhere to form larger
multiparticle or large particles entities called
granules.
 The bitter, nauseous, unpleasant powders can not
be given tablets, capsule due to bulk quantity are
required to be taken, as well as they are not given
in liquid dosage forms due to their stability such
powders are given in the granules forms.
 These powders are mixed with suitable exicipent
along with granulating agent, prepare a coherent
mass then dried & passed through the sieve to
obtained desired size of granules.
 E.g. Effervescent granules
Effervescent Granules
 Effervescent granules are meant for internal use.
 They contained medicaments mixed with citric acid, tartaric
acid & sodium bi carbonates, sometime saccharin or sucrose
may be added for sweetening taste.
 Before, administration desired quantity of granules are
dissolved in water, the acid & bicarbonate reacts with each
other to produce effervescence.
 Effervescent granules are prepared by two methods, namely
as, I) Heat method, II) Wet method
Heat method

 A large porcelain or stainless steel evaporating dish is placed over the

boiling water bath.
 The dish must be sufficiently hot (generally heating takes place for 1 – 5
min.) before transferring the powders into it, to ensure rapid liberation of
water of crystallization from citric acid.
 If heating of the dish is delayed then the powder which is added to it, will
heat up slowly & liberated water of crystallization will also be liberated
simultaneously.
 As a result, sufficient water will not be available to make a coherent mass.
 This coherent mass will pass through the sieve to obtained suitable size of
granules, dry it in oven at 600c then packed in air tight container.
Wet method

 In this methods all the ingredients are mixed thoroughly

 This powders mixture make moistened with non – aqueous
vehicle (e.g. alcohol), to prepare a coherent mass which is
then passed through sieve no 8 to obtained suitable granules.
 Then dried in oven at 600c. The dried granules are again
passed through the sieve to break the lumps which may be
formed during drying.
 The dried granules are packed in air tight container.
Tablets
 These are solid dosage forms of medicaments which are
prepared by moulding or by compression with or without
Excipients.
 The tablets can be prepared by two methods namely as a
I) Dry granulation, II) Wet Granulation
Capsule
 Capsules are solid unit dosage forms in which one or more
medicaments enclosed within a shell.
 Capsules mainly divided in to two parts namely as –
I) Body (Longest part of capsule shell), II) Cap (Smallest part of
capsule shell)
 The capsule are generally prepared by gelatin.
 Depending on their formulation, two types of gelatin are used
namely as – I) Hard gelatin, II) Soft gelatin.

Cap

Body
Pills
 These are small, rounded solid dosage forms containing
medicaments intended for oral use.
 The medicaments are mixed with excipients to forms a firms
plastic mass.
 The mass is rolled to uniform pill pipe, which cut into
numbers of uniform pills. The pills are spherical in shape &
produced by rolling them under wooden pill rounder.
 Sometimes pills are coated with varnish, gold leaf, etc to
improve finish, unpleasant taste & stability.
 Now a days pills are outdated preparations because of number
of disadvantages such as -
 Disintegration time of pill is uncertain means freshly prepared
pills are disintegrates readily rather than old dried pills.
 It is difficult to prepare pills of uniform size & weight.
Importance of syrup
 It retards oxidation because its partly hydrolyzed into
reducing sugar.
 It prevents decomposition of many vegetable substance
because its have high osmotic pressure which prevent the
growth of bacteria.
 They are palatable due sweet taste.
Monophasic liquid dosage forms
for External use
Liniments
 Liniments are liquid or semi- liquid preparations
meant for external application to the skin.
 They are usually applied to the skin with friction
& rubbing of the skin.
 Are usually alcoholic and oily liquid preparations
(monophasic) or emulsion (biphasic).
 Alcoholic liniments are used generally for their
rubefacient and counterirritant effects. Such
liniments penetrate the skin more readily than do
those with an oil base.
 The oily liniments are milder in their action and
may function solely as protective coatings
 Liniments should not be applied to skin that are
bruised or broken.
Lotions
 Are usually aqueous, alcoholic or
oily liquid preparations.
 They are intended for external
application without friction or
rubbing to the affected area
 Usually applied with the help of
some absorbent material such as
cotton wool or gauze.
 It is generally used to provide
cooling, soothing and protective &
antiseptic action.
Gargles
 Gargles are aqueous solutions used for treating throat infection
(pharynx and nasopharynx part)
 Supplied in concentrated forms with directions of dilution with warm
water before use
 They are used into intimate contact with the mucous membrane of
throat for few seconds, before they are thrown out of the mouth.
 They are used to relieve soreness in mild throat infection.
 They are also used for their antiseptics, antibiotics and/or anesthetics
Mouth wash
 These are aqueous solutions with
pleasant or acceptable taste & odour
 These are used to make clean &
deodorise the buccal cavity or used for
oral hygiene and to treat infections of
the mouth.
 They mainly contain antibacterial
agent, alcohol, glycerin, sweetening
agent, flavoring agent & colouring
agent.
Throat paints
 Throat paints are viscous liquid
preparations used for mouth and
throat infections
 Glycerin is commonly used as a
base because being viscous it
adheres to mucous membrane for
long period and it possess a sweet
taste.
Sprays
 These are the preparations of drugs in media
which may be aqueous, alcoholic, or glycerin.
 They are applied to the mucous membrane of
throat or nose with an atomizer.
 The throat sprays must be sprayed from a
special type of atomizer known as a nebulizer,
which removes the large droplets by baffling
system. Only precaution should be taken that
the fine droplet will used to easily reach the
lungs.

Nebulizer
Inhalations
 These are liquid preparations containing volatile substance & are used to
relieve decongestion & inflammations of respiratory tract.
 The volatile substance in inhalations would be volatile at room
temperature so that they should be placed on some adsorbent pad or
handkerchief.
 In some cases inhalations will added to hot water (650c) then vapors will
inhaled.
Nasal drops
 Drugs in solution may be instilled into the nose from a dropper or from a
plastic squeeze bottle.
 The drug may have a local effect, e.g. antihistamine, decongestant.
 Alternatively the drug may be absorbed through the nasal mucosa to exert
a systemic effect.
 The use of oily nasal drops should be avoided because of possible damage
to the cilia of the nasal mucosa & if it is used for long period may reach
the lungs & cause lipoid pneumonia.
 To avoid that Nasal drops are prepared so that they are similar in many
respects to nasal secretions, so that normal ciliary action is maintained
thus aqueous nasal solutions usually are isotonic and slightly buffered to
maintain a pH of 5.5 to 6.5.
Eye drops
 Sterile, aqueous/oily solutions or suspensions intended for instillation in
eye sac.
 Eye drops may contain buffers, stabilizing agents, dispersing agents,
solubilising agents, anti-oxidants & agents required for tonicity/ viscosity
adjustment
 Single dose container should not contain anti-microbial preservative.
 In case of multi dose container a dropper should be supplied with it for
administration. Maximum size of such containers is 10 ml.
Eye lotions
 These are the aqueous solutions used for washing the eyes.
 These are supplied in concentrated forms & are required to diluted with
warm water immediately before use.
 They should be free from foreign particles to avoids irritation to the eye.
 They are required to prepared fresh & should not be stored for more than
two days to avoid microbial contaminations.
Ear drops
 These are the solutions of drugs that are instilled into ear cavity with the
help of dropper.
 These are generally used for cleaning the ear, softening the wax & for
treating the mild infections.
 The solutions is generally prepared in water, glycerin, propylene glycol &
dilute alcohol.
Semisolid dosage forms
Semisolid dosage forms
 Semisolid dosage forms meant for external application
 Semisolid dosage forms subcategorized are as-
I) ointment
II) creams
III) paste
IV) Jellies
V) Suppositories

 The suppositories are also included in this category but it is a unit dosage
forms.
Ointment
 Ointment are semisolid preparation meant for application to skin or
mucous membrane.
 The ointments are mainly used for their protective or emollient properties
 It may be defined as a medicament or medicaments dissolved, suspended
or emulsified in ointment base.
 There is no single ointment base which possesses all the qualities of ideal
ointment base, so it become necessary to use more than one ointment base
in the preparation of ointment.
Qualities of ideal ointment base
 It should be inert, odourless & colourless & smooth.
 It should be physically & chemically stable.
 It should be compatible with the skin & with incorporated medicaments.
 It should be of such consistency that it spread & soften when applied to
skin with stress.
 It should not retard healing of wound.
 It should produce irritation or sensitization of the skin.
 Classification of ointment base

 Oleaginous bases
 Absorption bases
 Emulsion bases
 Water soluble bases
Oleaginous base
 These bases consist of water soluble hydrocarbons, vegetable oils, animal
fats & wax.
 The constituents of hydrocarbon bases are soft paraffin, hard paraffin &
liquid paraffin.
 The vegetable oils are mainly used in ointment to lower the melting point
or to soften the bases.
 These bases serve to keep the medicaments in prolonged contact with the
skin & also act as occlusive dressings. They have a low capacity to absorb
water & are used chiefly for their emollient effect.
 These bases losing their importance now a days for the many reason.
Disadvantages of oleaginous bases

 They are greasy.

 They are sticky & are difficult to remove both from skin & clothing.
 They retain body heat which may produce an uncomfortable feeling of
warmth.
 They do not help in the absorption of medicaments.
Absorption bases
 These bases are generally anhydrous substance which have the property of
absorbing considerable quantities of water but still retaining their ointment
like consistency.
 The absorption bases are of two type namely as
I) Non emulsified bases
II) Water in oil emulsion
 Non emulsified bases absorb water & aqueous solutions producing w/o
emulsion. E.g. Wool fat, wool alcohol, beeswax & cholesterol.
 Water in oil emulsions are capable of absorbing more water & have the
properties of non- emulsified bases. E.g. hydrous wool fat ( lanoline)
Emulsion bases


These bases are semisolid or have cream like consistency.
 Both o/w or w/o emulsions are used as a ointment base.
 The o/w emulsion base is more popular now days because ease of
application will easily achieved.
 The w/o type of emulsion bases are greasy & sticky.
 The emulsifying ointment is prepared from emulsifying wax, white soft
paraffin & liquid paraffin.
Water soluble bases

 These are commonly known as greaseless ointment bases.

 The water soluble bases consist of water soluble ingredients such as
carbowaxes ( polyethylene glycol polymer)
 The carbowaxes are water soluble, non – volatile & inert substance.
 Selection of appropriate carbowaxes is depend on their molecular weight.
creams
 These are viscous semisolid emulsions which are meant for external use.
 Cream is divided in to two types namely as
I) Aqueous creams
II) Oily creams
 In case of aqueous creams the emulsions are o/w type & it is relatively non
greasy. The emulsifying waxes are anionic, cationic & non –ionic used.
Generally polysorbate, triethanolamine soap are used as emulsifying agent.
 In case of oily creams w/o type & it is relatively greasy. The emulsifying
agent such as wool fat, wool alcohols, beeswax & calcium soap is used.
 The cream should be store in collapsible tube & supplied in well closed
container to prevent evaporation & contamination.
pastes
 Pastes are semisolid preparations intended for
external application to skin.
 The pastes are generally very thick & stiff.
 They do not melt at ordinary temperature & thus
forms a protective coating over the area where
they are applied.
 Pastes are differ from ointment as they contain a
high proportion of finely powdered medicaments.
 They are mainly used as a antiseptic, protective,
soothing dressings.
 Pastes should be stored & supplied in containers
made of materials which do not allow absorption
or diffusion of content.
jellies
 Jellies are transparent or translucent, non greasy, semi solid preparations
mainly used for external application to skin.
 These are also used for lubricating catheters, surgical gloves & rectal
thermometer.
 The substance like gelatin, starch, tragacanth, sodium alginate & cellulose
derivatives are used for the formulation of jellies.
 Jellies are of three types namely as
 Medicated jellies
 Lubricating jellies
 Miscellaneous jellies
New drug delivery system
Introduction
With the advancement of pharmaceutical sciences, a new concept have
evolved various modern dosage forms & methods of their administration.
Some of the modern dosage forms are
 Implants
 Films & strips
 Liposome drug carriers
 Controlled drug delivery modules
 Erythrocytes
 Nanoparticles
 prodrugs
Implants
 These are hypodermic tablets are placed under the skin by a minor surgery in order
to release drugs over prolonged periods of time.
 Now the magnetically controlled implants have been developed which can be
opened or closed at will in order to release or stop the drug.
 These implants are placed at upper thigh at a depth of 5mm.
 These implants are useful in hormone therapy.
Films & strips
These are meant for topical application for slow release of drug over
predetermined period of time. Films & strips are more popular these days.
They are sub categorized in to following types namely as
 Zero order release films
 Buccal strips
 Spray bandages
Zero order release films
 These are called as laminates & meant for topical application. E.g.
 Nitroglycerine laminates are prepared by mixing propylene glycol with
about 1% carbopol resin. The mixture is neutralized with NaoH solution &
then 0.1% of nitroglycerin is added. It is then placed in polythene sheet
5*5 cm & its edges are sealed by heat. It is then placed on pressure
sensitive adhesive sheet of 5.5 * 5.5 cm so that it can be properly
adhesive to skin. Such laminates release the drug slowly into circulation
for about 12 hours.
Buccal strips
 The buccal & sublingual tablets are now replaced with buccal strips.
 These strips consist of a thin absorbent base of fabrics, filter paper &
cotton etc.
 The buccal strips are prepared by immersing a long piece of fabric made
from polyamide fibers into a molten mixture of carbowaxes & dissolved
or dispersed the drug.
 The fabric is then cooled & cut into small pieces.
 It should be contact with buccal mucosa for about 15 min. & then
removed & discarded.
Spray bandage

 These bandage are prepared by spraying the solution of drug in polylactide

(polymer of lactic acid anhydride)
 A solution of purified lactide polymer is made in chloroform.
 It is then packed in aerosol container having suitable propellant.
 When these solution sprayed then it will be a comfortable bandage which
can simply washed of with warm water.
Liposome drug carriers
 These are several carriers in our body which transport both to an other like
as enzymes, proteins etc.
 These are phospholipids which can transport both hydrophilic &
hydrophobic drugs.
 The large multilamellar vesicles (LMV), small unilamellar vesicles (SUV),
large unilamellar vesicles (LUV) are some of the liposome's known today.
Applications
 Used in diseases caused by intracellular parasites. E.g. malaria,
tuberculosis & amoebiasis.
 It entrapped insulin is active orally & can be replaced by IM
administration of insulin.
 It can be used to transport functional DNA/RNA molecules into cell.
 It can be used to transport radio pharmaceuticals & immunological
products.
 Liposomal daunomycin has longer duration of action than free
daunomycin which is used in the treatment of neoplasia.
Controlled drug delivery modules
 These are the device which are formed by embedding the drug within a
polymeric matrix so that it gets released slowly to the body over a long
period of time.
 It will formed drug – polymer complex & may be formulated in to tablet,
capsule or any other suitable formulation.
 These modules are punctured before administration with leaser beam to
make a small orifice for release of the drugs.
 The drugs is released from these modules by diffusion, osmosis or
chemical reactions.
 These are applied to skin, implanted subcutaneously or inserted into
various body cavities.
Erythrocytes
 Erythrocytes are tried in order to achieve controlled release of drugs.
 The life span of erythrocytes are 120 days.
 It can allow a drug to circulate in the body for long period of time which
help slow release of the drugs in to serum.
 Released erythrocytes are prepared by putting them in to a hypotonic
medium. So that they can easily swollen.
 The aqueous solutions of the drug is added to the medium so that drugs
gets in to erythrocytes through open pores.
 When isotonicity is adjusted the erythrocytes shrink, thus encapsulating
the drug with in them. These erythrocytes may be suspended in normal
saline solutions for preparing injections.
Applications
 Released erythrocytes of urease have been used in kidney failure to
degrade serum urea.
 Released erythrocytes of asparaginase have shown good result in
asparaginase dependent leukemia.
 Released erythrocytes of methotrexate & adrianycin have been tried in
cancer therapy.
 Released erythrocytes of prednisolone have shown good result to prolong
the anti-inflammatory action.
Nanoparticles

 It is based on colloidal drug delivery system.

 The particles size of this system is in nanometer range (200 – 500 mm)
 The system consist of a drug & carriers to deposit the drug at target site.
 The carriers used are naturally occurring macromolecules like human
serum albumin, bovine serum albumin, & other substances like gelatin,
casein & ethylcellulose.
Applications

 Flourescein isothinocyanate (FITC) nanoparticles have been used to

incorporate cytotoxic agent into tumor cell in cancer chemotherapy.
 Nanoparticles along with biological maker like immunoglobulin can be
used to target the drugs to very specific site.
Prodrugs

 The compound which undergo biotransformation before showing desired

pharmacological activity are called prodrugs or proagents.
 Prodrugs are generally the ester or amides of parent drugs.
 These are useful to improving the stability, solubility, bioavailability of
drugs, masking the unpleasant taste & odour of the parent drug & reducing
the toxicity
Applications

 Choramphenicol palmitate, the prodrug of chloramphenicol is used in the

preparation of pediatrics suspension because it has no bitter taste.
 Procaine penicillin G & benzathine penicillin G are prodrugs of penicillin
G which shows resistance to hydrolysis as compared to the parent drug.
 Cindamycin 2- phosphate the prodrug of cindamycin has no bitter taste of
parent drug.
Thank you