PHARMACEUTICAL

DOSAGE FORM

DRUG DOSAGE AND

TERMINOLOGY
For convenience of dosage administration,
most products are formulated to contain a
drugs usual dose within a single unit
(e.g., capsule) or within a specified
volume (e.g., 5 mL or a teaspoonful) of a
liquid dosage form.
To serve varying dosage requirements,
manufacturers often formulate a drug into
more than one dosage form and in more
than a single strength.

DOSE
Therapeutic dose : The median effective dose of a
drug is the amount that will produce the desired
intensity of effect in 50% of the individuals tested.
Toxic dose : The median toxic dose is the amount
that will produce a defined toxic effect in 50% of
the individuals tested.
The relationship between the desired and
undesired effects of a drug is commonly expressed
as the therapeutic index and is defi ned as the
ratio between a drugs median toxic dose and its
median effective dose, TD50/ED50.

THE NEED FOR DOSAGE

FORMS
Drug substances are seldom administered alone;
rather they are given as part of a formulation in
combination with one or more nonmedicinal agents
that serve varied and specialized pharmaceutical
functions.
Selective use of these nonmedicinal agents,
referred to as pharmaceutical ingredients or
excipients, produces dosage forms of various types.
The pharmaceutical ingredients solubilize, suspend,
thicken, dilute, emulsify, stabilize, preserve, color,
fl avor, and fashion medicinal agents into
efficacious and appealing dosage forms.

 The general area of study concerned

with the formulation, manufacture,
stability, and effectiveness of
pharmaceutical dosage forms is
termed pharmaceutics.

 Most drug substances are

administered in milligram quantities,
much too small to be weighed on
anything but a sensitive prescription
or electronic analytical balance.
To protect the drug substance from
the destructive influences of
atmospheric oxygen or humidity
(coated tablets, sealed ampuls)

 To protect the drug substance from the

destructive infl uence of gastric acid after
oral administration (enteric-coated tablets)
To conceal the bitter, salty, or offensive
taste or odor of a drug substance (capsules,
coated tablets, fl avored syrups)
To provide liquid preparations of substances
that are either insoluble or unstable in the
desired vehicle (suspensions)

 To provide rate-controlled drug action (various

controlled-release tablets, capsules, and suspensions).
To provide optimal drug action from topical
administration sites (ointments, creams, transdermal
patches, and ophthalmic, ear, and nasal preparations).
To provide for insertion of a drug into one of the bodys
orifices (rectal or vaginal suppositories).
To provide for placement of drugs directly in the
bloodstream or body tissues (injections).
To provide for optimal drug action through inhalation
therapy (inhalants and inhalation aerosols)

CAPSULES

TABLETS

SOLID ORAL MODIFIED RELEASE

DRUGS

OINTMENTS, CREAMS, AND

GEL

SUPOSITORIES AND INSERTS

SOLUTIONS

PARENTERAL