Compounding: Ingredients/Uses

Question 1

Binders

Answer 1

• Allows tablet contents to stick together, providing strength and stability
• EX: Acacia, starch paste, sucrose syrup

Question 2

Diluent

Answer 2

• AKA fillers, bulking up a small amount
• EX: Lactose, starches, calcium salts, cellulose power in capsules/tablets
• Petrolatum in topicals

Question 3

Disintegrants

Answer 3

• Facilitates breakup of the tablet was administered to be dissolves and absorbed
• EX: Alginic acid, cellulose, starches, polacrillin potassium

Question 4

Non-caloric Sweeteners

Answer 4

• Aspartame

- Sucralose

Question 5

Caloric Sweeteners

Answer 5

• Glycerin
• Dextrose
• Mannitol/sorbitol/xylitol (sugar alcohols)
• Stevia

Question 6

Lubricants

Answer 6

• AKA glidants or non-adherents
• Prevents ingredients from sticking to each other and equipment
• Improves powder flowability
• EX: Magnesium stearate (stearate in general)

Question 7

Preservatives

Answer 7

• Slow/prevent microorganism growth
• Do NOT use in neonates
• EX: Chlorhexidine (also antiseptic to surgical scrubs), povidone iodine (also topical antiseptic), sodium benzoate (benzoic generally), sorbic acid/potassium sorbate, methyl/ethyl/propyl parabens, EDTA, thimerosal, cetylpyridinium chloride

Question 8

Buffers

Answer 8

• Keep pH stable in a certain range
• Which ones used depends on the goal pH range
• Acids for acidic pH, hydroxides or -ate for basic, lots of phosphate examples for neutral pH

Question 9

Hydrophilic Solvents

Answer 9

• Water (sterile and otherwise)
• Alcohols
• Glycols

Question 10

Water

Answer 10

• Potable - used to wash hands and equipment
• Distilled - used to reconstitute and prepare non-sterile compounding products
• SWFI - free of bacterial endotoxins (pyrogens) and used to sterile compounding

Question 11

Alcohols

Answer 11

• High miscibility with water and can dissolve solutes that would be insoluble in water alone
• Benzyl alcohol: also used as a preservative and for its fragrence
• 70% IPA: preferred disinfectant in sterile compounding

Question 12

Glycols

Answer 12

• Low freezing points and high boiling points
• PEG is used as a surfactant, solvent, plasticizer, lubricant, and a base (water soluble and miscible)
• PEG also has an increased half life when bound to a protein drug
• Polybase - PEG mixture used as a suppository base, good emulsifier

Question 13

Hydrophobic Solvents

Answer 13

• Oils/Fats - used as delivery vehicles, lipophilic/hydrophobic compounds
• EX: Mineral oil (ingredient in BabyOil)

Question 14

Ointments

Answer 14

• 0-20% water, some are mixed with humectants to draw water into skin
• Ex bases: petrolatum, Polybase, Aquaphor, Aquabase

Question 15

Oleaginous Ointments

Answer 15

-No water, only oil containing
AKA Hydrocarbon base
-Ex: Petrolatum (Vaseline, petroleum jelly)

Question 16

Creams

Answer 16

• More water than oil (at least 20% water, no more than 50% oil)
• Often w/o or o/w emulsions
• Ex Bases: lipoderm, eucerin, cetaphil

Question 17

Gels

Answer 17

• Semisolid preparations with small inorganic or large organic particles penetrated in liquid
• Aqueous solutions of poloxamers are liquid when refrigerated and gel at room temperature (reversible)
• EX: PLO gel (poloxamer, contains hydrophobic chain and two hydrophilic chains)

Question 18

Suppository Bases

Answer 18

• Must stay intact for insertion and melt once administered

- EX: Polybase, cocoa butter, hydrogenated vegetable oils (palm, coconut), gelatin

Question 19

Adsorbents

Answer 19

• Keep powders dry and prevent hydrolysis

- EX: Magnesium oxide/carbonate, kaolin

Question 20

Anti-foaming Agents

Answer 20

• Breaks up/inhibits foams

- EX: Simethicone

Question 21

Coatings (regular)

Answer 21

• Prevent degradation

- Ex: Shellac, gelatin, gluten (food grade)

Question 22

Emulsifiers

Answer 22

• Reduce surface tension between two liquids, type of surfactant
• EX: Acacia, PEG

Question 23

Enteric-Coating

Answer 23

• Placed on drugs that would be destroyed by stomach’s acidic environment
• EX: Cellulose acetate phthalate

Question 24

Gelling/Thickeners

Answer 24

• Increase viscosity/stability of mixture
• Ex: cellulose, gelatin, and bentonite are commonly used; others include agar, alginates, various gums, carbomer, starches, poloxamer gels

Question 25

Humectant

Answer 25

- Prevents preparations from becoming dry and brittle | - Ex: Glycerin, glycerol, propylene glycol, PEG

Question 26

Levigating Agent

Answer 26

- Used to reduce particle size and surface tension | - Ex: mineral oil, glycerin

Question 27

Avoid alcohol in....

Answer 27

Children

Question 28

Avoid aspartame in...

Answer 28

those with PKU (contains phenylalanine)

Question 29

Avoid gelatin in...

Answer 29

Vegans/vegetarians/those avoiding pork (derived from pork)

Question 30

Avoid gluten in....

Answer 30

Celiac disease/those avoiding gluten

Question 31

Avoid lactose in...

Answer 31

Lactose intolerant/allergy

Question 32

Avoid preservatives in...

Answer 32

Neonates

Question 33

Avoid sorbitol in...

Answer 33

IBS

Question 34

Avoid sucrose in...

Answer 34

Diabetics

Question 35

Avoid xylitol in....

Answer 35

Dogs (xylitol toxicosis), can cause GI distress in some humans as well