JNTU Pharm. D III Year PHARMACEUTICAL FORMULATIONS Previous Question Paper (November/December - 2021 - R08)

Pharmaceutical dosage forms are the physical forms in which a drug product is presented to the patient to ensure safe, accurate, and effective administration of the active pharmaceutical ingredient (API). They are designed to protect the drug from environmental degradation, mask unpleasant tastes or odors, and control the rate of drug release.

Classification of dosage forms:

• Solid dosage forms: Tablets, capsules, powders, and granules.
• Liquid dosage forms: Solutions, suspensions, emulsions, syrups, and elixirs.
• Semi-solid dosage forms: Ointments, creams, gels, and pastes.
• Gaseous dosage forms: Aerosols, inhalers, and sprays.

Tablet excipients are inactive substances added to the formulation to facilitate manufacturing, improve stability, or enhance bioavailability. Key categories include:

• Diluents/Fillers: Lactose, microcrystalline cellulose, starch.
• Binders: PVP, starch paste, acacia, gelatin.
• Disintegrants: Croscarmellose sodium, starch, sodium starch glycolate.
• Lubricants/Glidants: Magnesium stearate, talc, colloidal silicon dioxide.

Granulation techniques are employed to improve flow properties and compressibility of powder blends:

1. Wet Granulation: Involves the addition of a liquid binder solution to the powder mixture to form a wet mass, which is then screened, dried, and sized.
2. Dry Granulation (Slugging or Roller Compaction): Used for moisture or heat-sensitive drugs; the powder is compressed into large compacts (slugs) or passed through rollers, then milled into granules.
3. Direct Compression: The simplest method where the drug and excipients are compressed directly without prior granulation, provided the material has adequate flow and cohesive properties.