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Session 1: Introduction to

Pharmaceutical Dosage
Forms

By NTENGO, Venance Wilfred Bpharm


K’s Royal College
Learning objectives
By the end of this session students are
expected to be able to:
• Define Dosage Form
• Classify Pharmaceutical Dosage Forms
According to their Physical Forms and
Routes of Administration
• Explain the Importance of Dosage Forms
Definition of Dosage Forms
• Dosage forms:
• What are the dosage form?
• These are the means by which drug molecules are
delivered to the sites of action in the body
• They are the drug delivery systems
• Example of pharmaceutical dosage forms are tablets,
capsules, syrups, suspensions, injections, creams and
ointments
• Selection of right dosage forms depends on the situation
of a patient (emergency or unconscious) and the
location of the disorder
Classification of Dosage Forms
• What are the classes of Pharmaceutical dosage
forms?
• Dosage forms are classified according to:
i. Physical forms and
ii. Route of administration
i. Classification according to
physical forms
• Depending on their physical forms, dosage forms
are classified into the following forms;
a) Solid dosage forms
b) Semisolid dosage forms
c) Liquid dosage forms
d) Gaseous dosage forms
a) Solid dosage forms
• The solid dosage forms are mainly of two types,
tablets and capsules.
• Others are powders, pills and cachets
• Tablet is a compressed solid dosage form (of
uniform volume of particles) containing
medicaments with or without excipients
• Capsules are solid preparations with hard or soft
containers “shells”, (commonly but not exclusively
of gelatine) of various shapes and capacities, usually
containing a single dose of active ingredient(s)
a) Solid dosage forms
continued…
• The solid dosage forms are advantageous as;
i. They ensure the means for accurate dosing,
ii. They are portable (lighter) and easy handling ,
iii. They are cheap for large scale production,
iv. They are easy to control quality and masking
unpleasant tastes
b) Semisolid dosage forms
• Semisolid preparations comprise a number of
products, which when applied to the skin or
accessible mucous membranes tend to alleviate or
treat a pathological condition or offer protection
against a harmful environment
• They are intended for local drug delivery on the skin,
cornea, rectal tissue, nasal mucosa, vagina and others
• Most of them are non-irritating
• Examples are ointments, creams, gels, pastes and
poultices
c) Liquid dosage forms
• Liquid dosage forms are homogeneous or
heterogeneous preparations containing one or more
active ingredients in a suitable vehicle
• The liquid dosage forms are advantageous as they are
more readily available for absorption, easily swallowed
than tablets or capsules and therefore suitable for
children and elderly patients
• The gastric irritation caused by certain drugs when
they are administered as a solid dosage form may be
reduced or avoided when liquid dosage forms are
used
c) Liquid dosage forms
continued..
• The disadvantages of liquid dosage forms include;
i. Less stability in liquid formulation,
ii. Susceptibility to microbial contamination,
iii. Difficultness in masking unpleasant taste and
iv. Inconvenience to store and transport due to bulkiness
v. Also administration of the correct dose is less precise
since in involves the use of 5ml spoon, an oral syringe
or volumetric dropper and the dispersion systems have
to be shaken before use to allow accurate dosage
• Examples of liquid dosage forms are solutions,
suspensions, spirits, tinctures, mixtures and others.
d) Gaseous dosage forms
• In gaseous dosage forms the small drug particles
are usually compressed with air
• These forms include aerosols and inhalers.
ii. Classification according to
Route of Administration
• Depending on the route of administration, dosage
forms are classified into the following forms;
a) Oral dosage forms
b) Parenteral dosage forms
c) Rectal dosage forms
d) Vaginal dosage forms
e) Inhaled dosage forms
f) Topical dosage forms
g) Ophthalmic and otic dosage forms
a) Oral dosage forms
• Oral dosage forms are usually intended for systemic
effects resulting from drug absorption through the
various mucosa of the gastrointestinal tract
• It is the simplest, most convenient and safest
means of drug administration
• The onset of action depends on the rate of
absorption
a) Oral dosage forms continued…
• The disadvantages include;
i. Relatively slow onset of action,
ii. Possibilities of irregular absorption and
iii. Destruction of certain drugs by enzymes or
secretions of the gastrointestinal tract

• The most popular oral dosage forms are tablets, capsules,


suspensions, solutions and emulsions
b) Parenteral dosage forms
• These are medicines which injected via a hollow needle in to
the body at various sites.
• The main parenteral routes are subcutaneous (S.C),
intramuscular (I.M) and intravenous (I.V) and the less
frequently used intrathecal
• The parenteral route is preferred when rapid absorption is
essential, as in emergency situations or when patients are
unconscious or unable to tolerate oral dosage forms
• Absorption after parenteral drug delivery is rapid
• Injectable preparations are usually sterile suspensions or
solutions of drugs in water or other physiologically suitable
and acceptable vehicles
c) Rectal dosage forms
• They are usually administered for local rather than systemic
effects
• The formulations may be in solution, suppository or emulsion
form
• Suppositories are solid forms intended for introduction to the
rectum where they melt and release the drug
• This route is usually used when there is a suspicion of
inactivation of oral dosage forms by intestinal fluids or when
the patient is unconscious or vomiting
• This route does not allow drugs to pass through the liver
hence prevent them from being metabolized by liver enzymes
c)Rectal dosage forms continued..
• The disadvantages of this route include;
i. A slower absorption than other routes,
ii. Irregularity or uncompleted absorption and
iii. Irritation to the mucosa at the site of application
d) Vaginal dosage forms
• The preparations in this group are employed
principally to combat infections in the female
genitourinary area, to restore the vaginal mucosa
into normal state and contraception
• Vaginal tablets (inserts) are mostly used than the
vaginal suppositories because are easy to
manufacture, handle in use and more stable
e) Inhaled dosage forms
• These drugs are applied through respiratory route. Lungs
provide an excellent surface for absorption when the
drug is in gaseous or aerosol mist form.
• The aerosols droplet particle size determines the extent
to which the drug penetrates the alveoli region.
• The smaller the particle size the larger the amount of
drug reach the alveolar sacs.
• This route introduces drug throughout the respiratory
tract (site of Action).
• This route has been found useful in the treatment of
asthmatic condition.
e) Inhaled dosage forms
continued…
• The main disadvantages of the respiratory route is a
poor regulation of the dosage and the drug may
spread to other parts more than respiratory tract
f) Topical dosage forms
• The drugs are applied topically, usually to the skin for local action
• This route can also be used for systemic drug delivery
• Percutaneous absorption is generally poor and erratic
• Drug absorption is via the sweat glands, hair follicles, sebaceous
glands and the stratum corneum
• Example of drugs applied to the skin for local effect includes
antiseptics, antifungal, anti-inflammatory agents and skin
emollients (for protective effects)
• Examples of topical pharmaceutical formulations are ointments,
creams and pastes
• The side effects of topical dosage forms are few
• The main disadvantage is that the drug may enter the body
through abrasions and cause systemic effects
g) Ophthalmic and otic dosage
forms
• The dosage forms and delivery systems applied to the
eye include solutions, suspensions, gels and ointments
• Pharmaceutical preparations are applied topically to
the eye to treat surface or intraocular conditions
including viral infections, bacterial infections, fungal
infections, elevated intraocular pressure or glaucoma
and dry eye due to an inadequate production of fluids
bathing the eye
• They may also be applied topically to the ear to treat
ear conditions
Importance of Dosage Forms
• What is the importance of dosage forms?
• The dosage forms of most drugs gives the public an
expectation that, they take safe and appropriate dose of a
drug from bulk materials
• Besides providing the mechanism for the safe and
convenient delivery of accurate dosage, dosage forms are
needed for the following reasons:
• Protection of a drug substance from the destructive influences
of:
• Atmospheric oxygen or humidity. (e.g. coated tablets, sealed ampoules)
• Gastric acid after oral administration (e.g. gastric-coated tablets)
• Mask the bitter, salty and offensive taste and odour of a
drug substance (e.g. capsules, coated tablets, flavoured
syrups)
Importance of Dosage Forms
continued…
• Provide right suspending materials depending on
the preparation (e.g. suspensions, syrup)
• Provide rate controlled drug actions (e.g. controlled
release tablets)
• Provide optimal drug action according to the route
of administration (e.g. ointments for topical sites,
suppositories for body’s orifices, injections for
direct bloodstream or body tissue delivery and
inhalations for respiratory system delivery)
Summary
• Dosage forms are the means by which drug
molecules are delivered to the sites of action in the
body
• Dosage forms are classified according to Physical
forms and Route of administration
• The dosage forms of most drugs gives the public an
expectation that they take safe and appropriate
dose of a drug from bulk materials
Recap
• What is dosage form?
• What are the different classes of pharmaceutical
dosage forms?
• What is the importance of pharmaceutical dosage
forms?
Thank you for
listening

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