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 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
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
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.
Liquid dosage forms
 It may be defined as “A solution is a liquid-preparation that
contains one or more soluble chemical substances dissolved in a
specified solvent”
 Liquid dosage forms are intended for External, Internal or
parenteral use.
 The component of the solution which is present in a large
quantity is known as “SOLVENT” where as the component
present in small quantity is termed as “SOLUTE”
 They mainly classified in to two category namely as –
I) Monophasic Liquid dosage forms.
II) Biphasic liquid dosage forms.
 Monophasic liquid dosage forms
 Monophasic liquid dosage forms are represent by true or colloidal
solution.
 The component of the solution which is present in a large quantity is
known as “SOLVENT” where as the component present in small
quantity is termed as “SOLUTE”.
 A solution is homogenous because the solute is an ionic or molecular
forms of subdivision.
 In case of colloidal solutions, the solutes are present as aggregates
although they cannot be seen by necked eye or ordinary
microscope.
 It is sub classified as –
I) Internal Use, II) External use
 Monophasic Liquid Dosage forms

Internal Use External Use

 Liniments
 Syrup  Lotions
 Elixirs  Gargles
 Linctuses  Mouth Wash
 Drops  Throat paints
 sprays
 Inhalations
 Nasal drops
 Eye drops
 Eye lotions
 Ear drops
 Syrup

 It is a concentrated or saturated solutions of sucrose in purified

water.
 The concentration of sucrose is 66.7% w/w & due to that it is a
viscous preparations.
 The syrup which contains medical substance called as a
medicated syrup & those containing aromatic or flavored
substance known as a flavored syrup.
Elixirs
 It is clear, sweetened, aromatic,
hydroalcholic preparations meant for
oral use.
 The medicated elixirs are generally
contained potent drug like as
antibiotics, antihistamine or sedative ,
where as non – medicated elixirs
contained flavoured.
 The composition of elixirs contained
mainly as ethyl alcohol (active
ingredients),water, glycerin or
propylene glycol, colouring agent,
flavouring agent & preservative.
Linctuses
 These are viscous liquid
preparations that’s are used for the
treatment of cough.
 They contain medicaments which
have demulcent, sedative,
expectorant action.
 They are taken in small doses
without diluting with water to have
prolonged effect of medicines.
 Simple syrup is used as a vehicle for
most of the linctuses.
Drops
 These are liquid preparations meant for oral administration.
 The oil soluble vitamins, such as vitamin A & D concentrates in
fish – liver oil are presented as drops for administration.
 Since these preparations contain potent medicaments, the dose
must be measured accurately
 The following two methods are commonly used for this purpose.
 Use of a dropper which is accurately graduated in fractions of
a milliliters.
 Use of a pre – calibrated dropper.
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.
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.
 Nasal drops are prepared as 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.
Biphasic liquid dosage forms
 The liquid which consist of two phases are known as a biphasic liquid
dosage forms.
 They are sub categorized into two different forms namely as –
I) Emulsion
II) Suspension

 In emulsion both phases are available in liquid where as in suspension,

finely divided solid particles are suspended in liquid medium.
Emulsion
 Emulsion is a biphasic liquid preparations containing two immiscible liquid
(Continuous Phase & dispersed phase) made missicible.
 The liquid which is converted into minute globules is called as dispersed
phase & the liquid in which the globules are dispersed is called the
continuous phase
Two Immiscible Liquids
dispersed phase
Dispersed Phase
(Internal phase)
continuous phase
Continuous Phase
(External phase)

 An emulsion is a thermodynamically unstable system consisting of at least

two immiscible liquid phases one of which is dispersed as globules in the other
liquid phase stabilized by a third substance called emulsifying agent.
The globule size in emulsion varies from 0.25 to 25 µm.
Suspension
 Suspensions are the biphasic liquid dosage forms
of medicament in which finely divided solid
particles ranging from 0.5 to 5 micron are
dispersed in a liquid or semisolid vehicle, with
aid of single or combination of suspending
agent.
 In which solid particles acts as disperse phase
where as liquid vehicle acts as continuous phase
 The external phase (suspending medium) is
generally aqueous in some instance, may be an
organic or oily liquid for non oral use.
 The particle size for non oral suspension is so
important to avoid grittiness to skin.
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.
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 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.
 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