Introduction to Pharmaceutics: D1

Pharmaceutics

The scientific discipline that covers the conversion of a drug substance into medicines suitable for administration by and to patients

Describes the design, manufacture and delivery of medicines

Drug - pharmacologically active chemical

Also called:

  • API - active pharmaceutical ingredient

  • Therapeutic agent

  • ‘The Active’

Excipients - non-active ingredients added to the drug

Medicines are also called:

  • Dosage Form - the type of medicine ( can be solid, liquid or semi-solid)

  • Formulation - the composition and structure of the medicine

Design of Medicines

Patient Acceptability - must be easy and pleasant to use

Different patients - must be suitable for a wide range of patients

Dose accuracy and uniformity - patient must receive a correct dose each time

Stability - must not degrade during storage

Desired Drug Action:

  • Local - only where applied e.g. eye drops, skin products etc

  • Systemic - whole body/circulation e.g. oral medicines, injectables

Different routes of administration - where they are applied to enter or act on the body

  • Oral - via the mouth

  • Topical - to a surface e.g. skin

  • Parenteral - by injection; intravenous (vein), subcutaneous (under the skin), intramuscular (in a muscle

  • Pulmonary - via the lung

  • Nasal - in the nose

  • Ocular/Ophthalmic - to the eye

  • Aural/Otic - to the ear

  • Other routes include : rectal, vaginal, transdermal etc

Different biological barriers - the barrier the drug needs to cross to act on the body

Desired Drug Release:

  • Immediate release - shortly after administration

  • Modified release - over a delayed or extended period