Introduction to Pharmaceutics

Introduction to Pharmaceutics

• Pharmaceutics is the science and practice of preparing and dispensing drugs.
• It involves the design, development, and evaluation of dosage forms.
• Key goals include improving drug efficacy, safety, and patient compliance.

Dosage Form Design Considerations

• Drug properties influence dosage form selection. These properties include solubility, stability, and bioavailability.
• Physicochemical properties are assessed. These include the drug's melting point, particle size, and pKa.
• Patient factors like age, health, and other medications are also important.
• Different formulations exist for diverse administration routes.
• Formulation design considers various factors like drug release kinetics and stability.

Common Dosage Forms

• Solid dosage forms (tablets, capsules, powders): These are convenient for administration and storage.
• Liquid dosage forms (solutions, suspensions, emulsions): These are useful for rapid drug absorption.
• Semisolid dosage forms (ointments, creams, gels): These are applied topically.
• Parenteral dosage forms (injections, infusions): These are administered directly into the body.
• Transdermal dosage forms: These deliver drugs through the skin.

Drug Delivery Systems

• Oral drug delivery systems aim to ensure drug absorption from the gastrointestinal tract.
• Controlled drug delivery systems release medication at a pre-determined rate.
• Targeted drug delivery systems deliver medication to specific body sites.
• Nanoparticles are often used for improved drug delivery.

Formulation Techniques

• Formulation involves mixing components and shaping them into a dosage form.
• Different procedures are used depending on the dosage form.
• Wet granulation, dry granulation, and direct compression are common tablet manufacturing techniques.
• Manufacturing processes are frequently optimized to meet quality standards.

Stability Considerations

• Drug stability is critical to ensure effectiveness and safety.
• Factors affecting stability include temperature, humidity, light, and other environmental conditions.
• Stability testing across different conditions is standard practice.
• Expiration dates are determined by stability studies.

Biopharmaceutics

• Biopharmaceutics relates drug formulation to its absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion (ADME).
• Understanding drug release mechanisms is important.
• Bioavailability is a key concept and measures the fraction of drug reaching systemic circulation.
• Factors affecting absorption include surface area, drug permeability, and the presence of food or other drugs.

Quality Control

• Quality control is essential throughout the manufacturing process.
• Testing methods are implemented to guarantee quality.
• These tests evaluate drug purity, potency, and uniformity.
• Regulatory compliance is necessary for manufacturing and marketing.

Formulation Design Optimization

• Continuous improvement in formulation methods is needed, driven by unmet medical needs.
• Developing new, improved drug delivery devices is a significant area of research.
• In-vivo studies provide crucial data.
• In silico modeling is emerging as an integral part of drug optimization processes.