Drug dosage forms

• A dosage form of a drug is a product suited for administration by various

routes for diagnosis, prophylaxis and treatment of the patient.

• The dosage form must be designed and prepared to make it possible to

introduce a drug into the human body & in a manner intended to
promote the safety of the patient.

• The dosage form should meet the requirements like drug release profile,
bioavailability and uniformity in clinical effectiveness by virtue of desired
steady state plasma drug concentration.

• Drug dosage forms are of different types and each is unique in its
physical and pharmaceutical characteristics.

The commonly used drug dosage forms include:

A. Solid dosage forms.
B. Liquid dosage forms.
C. Topical forms.
D. Inhalation forms.
E. Parenteral forms.
F. Special drug delivery systems.
 SOLID DOSAGE FORMS

1. Powders
2. Tablets
3. Capsules
4. Cachets
5. Suppositories

POWDERS
• These are simple solid dosage forms of drugs in finely divided state which
are homogeneously mixed and meant for systemic or topical use.

• Classification
A. Oral powders:
▪ Finely divided powders: are dissolved in water or mixed with soft
food. Ex: Oral rehydration salt (ORS).
▪ Effervescent powders: powdered drugs mixed with sodium
bicarbonate, citric acid or tartaric acid, which produce effervescence
with evolution of CO2 upon dissolving in water. It masks the unwanted
taste of drug. Ex: Magnesium citrate effervescent powder.
▪ Granules: Small aggregates of powder held together by binding agent
(starch or alcoholic spray). Ex: Vitamin D3 granules.

B. Dentifrices: represent bulk powder form, generally containing soap or

detergent, mild abrasive and an anti-cariogenic agent.
Ex: Tooth powder.
C. Douche powders: this is completely soluble and intended to be dissolved
in water prior to be used as antiseptic or cleansing agent for the body
cavity. Ex: Most commonly are intended for vaginal use (Generally,
aromatic oils are included in these powders).

D. Dusting powders: these are non-toxic powder form to be applied

topically that is intended to have no systemic effect. Ex: Clotrimazole
dusting powder.

• Advantages of powders.
▪ Flexibility in compounding
▪ Relatively good chemical stability.

• Disadvantages of powders.
▪ Time requirement for preparation is more
▪ Not suited for dispensing unpleasantly tasting or hygroscopic drugs .
 TABLET
• Tablet may be defined as solid dosage form containing drugs with or
without suitable diluents and prepared either by compression or molding
methods.

• The different categories of tablets include:

▪ Uncoated tablets.
▪ Coated tablets.
▪ Dispersible tablets.
▪ Effervescent tablets.
▪ Tablets for use in the mouth.
▪ Pills.

UNCOATED TABLETS
• The uncoated tablets are made in such a way that the release of active
ingredients is unmodified.
• A broken section, when examined under a lens, shows either a relatively
uniform texture or a stratified texture, but no signs of coating.
• Ex: Aspirin and paracetamol tablets.

COATED TABLETS
• Coated tablets are covered with one or more layers of mixtures of
substances such as natural or synthetic resins, polymers, gums, fillers,
sugars, colouring, flavouring substances & sometimes active ingredients
as well.
• A broken section, when examined under a lens, shows a core which is
surrounded by a continuous layer of different texture.
• Rationale for coating the tablets is to protect of the active ingredients
from air, moisture or light, masking of unpleasant tastes and odours or
improvement of appearance.
• Three main categories of coated tablets.
▪ Sugar coated tablets: compressed tablets containing a sugar
coating which helps to cover up disagreeable taste or odors of the
drug and also to protect the drugs which are sensitive to oxidation.
Ex: Tab. Ibuprofen.

▪ Film coated tablets: tablets covered with a thin layer of resins,

polymers and / or plasticizers capable of forming a film.
Ex: Ceftum (cefuroxime film coated tab), Dilgard (diltiazem film
coated tablet).

▪ Modified release tablets: coated, uncoated or matrix tablets

containing excipients or prepared by procedures which, separately
or together, are designed to modify the rate, the place or the time
of release of active ingredient(s) in the gastrointestinal tract.
Ex: Sustained release tablets, Delayed released tablets.

✓ Sustained release tablets:

o Also known as extended release or prolonged release tablets.
o Designed to slow the rate of release of the active
ingredient(s) in the GIT & intended to produce drug effects
over an extended time.
o Ex: Diclonac –SR (Diclofenac sod. Sustained Release).
o Advantages:
➢ Extended duration of action.
➢ Improves patient compliance.

✓ Delayed release tablets:

o Also known as enteric coated tablets or gastro resistant
tablets.
o Enteric coating can be used for tablets containing drug
substances which are destroyed or inactivated in the
stomach.
o These are intended to resist the gastric fluid but disintegrate
in the intestinal fluid.
 o This is a suitable dosage form for gastric irritants drugs
administered by oral route.
o Ex: Naproxen enteric coated tablets.
o Advantage:
➢ Prevent gastric irritation.

DISPERSIBLE TABLETS
• These are uncoated or film coated tablets intended to be dispersed in
water before administration, giving a homogenous dispersion.
• Ex: Aspirin dispersible tablets.

EFFERVESCENT TABLETS
• These are uncoated tablets generally containing acid substances &
carbonates or hydrogen carbonates (NaHCO3) that react rapidly in the
presence of water to release CO2.
• These are intended to be dissolved or dispersed in water before
administration. Ex: Vitamin tablets.

TABLETS FOR USE IN THE MOUTH

• Tablets for use in mouth are usually uncoated.
• They are usually formulated to effect a slow release and local action of
the active ingredients (lozenges) or the release & absorption of the
active ingredients under the tongue (sublingual tablets) or in other parts
of the mouth (buccal) for systemic action.
✓ Lozenges: Throat lozenges to temporarily stop coughs & lubricate
and sooth irritated tissues of the throat, possibly from the common
cold or influenza.
✓ Sublingual tablets: Sublingual Nitroglycerine used to terminate an
acute attack of angina or for the short term prevention of angina.
✓ Buccal tablets: Fentanyl buccal tablets.
 PILLS
• Small round solid dosage form for internal use.
• In this the powdered medicine is made into a globular form with a
gummy material or syrupy form to bind the medicaments together.
• Ex: Contraceptive pills.

CAPSULE
• These are solid dosage forms with hard or soft shells made of gelatin and
are intended for oral administration.

• The different categories of capsules include:

▪ Hard capsules.
▪ Soft capsules.
▪ Modified-release capsules.

HARD CAPSULES
• These have shells consisting of two pre-fabricated cylindrical sections
that fit together.
• One end of each section is rounded and closed and the other is open.
• The contents of hard capsules are usually in solid form (powder or
granules).
• Ex: Amoxicillin capsules.

SOFT CAPSULES
• These have thicker shells than hard capsules and antimicrobial
preservative is usually added to prevent the growth of fungi.
• The shells are of one piece and various shapes.
• The contents of soft capsules are usually solutions or suspensions of the
active ingredient(s) in non-aqueous liquids.
• Ex: Sinarest capsules.
 MODIFIED-RELEASE CAPSULES
• Are hard or soft capsules in which the contents or the shell or both
contain excipients or are prepared by special procedures such as micro-
encapsulation which are designed to modify the rate, place or time of
release of the active ingredients in the gastrointestinal tract.
• Ex: Sustained release capsules, Delayed released capsules.

SPANSULE
• Time release Capsules: Capsules have different coatings with the active
ingredients which will dissolve at different time intervals and provides
intermittent release of drugs.
• The coating which dissolves earlier release some amount of drug which
establishes its action quickly and other coatings dissolves slowly and
release at fixed intervals providing uniform medication over prolonged
periods.
• Ex: Dextroamphetamine sustained release capsule.

CACHET
• Cachet is like a capsule provided with an edible container for the oral
administration of drugs. They consist of two concave pieces of wafer
made up of flour and water.
• When moistened with water, the cachet becomes soft, elastic and
slippery. Hence, they can be swallowed easily.

SUPPOSITORY
• Suppositories are solid dosage forms for medicaments meant for
insertion into body cavities other than the mouth.
• These products are so formulated that after insertion they will either
melt at body temperature or dissolve in the body fluids to release the
drugs.
• Types of suppositories:
A. Rectal suppositories: meant for insertion into the rectum.
Ex: Paracetamol, Bisacodyl.
✓ Advantages:
➢ They can be easily administered to children and
unconscious patients who can’t swallow.
➢ Useful for drugs which are gastric irritants and cause
vomiting, destroyed by the hepatic metabolism or
degraded in the stomach.

✓ Disadvantages:
➢ They must be stored in refrigerators as they melt at room
temperature.
➢ Inconvenient and embarrassing to the patient.

B. Vaginal suppositories: They are also called as Pessary meant for

insertion into vagina.
Ex: Progesterone Pessary.

C. Bougies: These are solid pencil shaped body meant for urethral
administration.