Smt. Dr. Jayanti Vijaya Ratna
Dear Students,
Today I want to introduce to you one dosage form which is
called as “Powder”. Powders were very popular dosage forms, once upon a time; at a time when it was common practice
for a pharmacist to “compound” a prescription and dispense it. Today
compounding is not thee and “oral powders” are almost nonexistent. Only you see
occasionally, when old people or children cannot swallow tablets or capsules;
the tablets or capsules are made into powders, by the people who are
administering these medicines to them. Powders can be swallowed more easily but
their taste is also felt more by the tongue. Let us today look at what are
powders what are their advantages and disadvantages and let us consider a few
prescriptions for powders. I want to just explain to you that the principles
which are valid in the preparation of powders at a compounding level are also
equally valid in the “manufacture” of powders or which are ultimately becoming
granules in the preparation of tablets.
Classification
of Powders:
1.
Bulk Powders for internal use
2.
Bulk Powders for external use
3.
Divided (single dose) powders
Advantages of
Powders:
1. When it is not possible to dispense a drug as a solution or a suspension,
because of its insolubility or because it is susceptible to microbial
continuation if it is wetted, then it is a good idea to dispense it as a
