This document discusses glass packaging for pharmaceuticals. It notes that glass is commonly used because it is chemically inert, economically, provides superior protection, and is approved by the FDA. There are four main types of glass used: type I is borosilicate glass which has high resistance and is suitable for parenteral use due to low leaching; type II is treated soda-lime glass which is treated to prevent weathering or blooming; type III is untreated soda-lime glass with average chemical resistance suitable for anhydrous parenterals; type IV is plain soda-lime glass used for oral and topical formulations.

2. • Glass is an amorphousamorphous solid material which is
usually brittlebrittle and optically transparentoptically transparent.
• Glass is composed of sand, soda ash, cullet,
silicon, aluminum, boron, potassium, zinc etc.

3. • Pharmaceutical container is defined as a device
that holds the pharmaceutical formulations and it
may or may not be in direct contact with the
formulation.

4. • It must be neutral and not react with the materials
it is holding.
• It must maintain stability by resisting
environmental factors.
• It must be simply designed for dose withdrawal.
• The material must be resistance to temperature
and pressure of sterilization.
• Closure must be easily removable and replaced.

5. Glass is commonly used in pharmaceutical
packaging because it possesses:
• Superior protection
• It’s economical
• Chemically inert
• Has FDA clearance
• Is an excellent barrier against practically all
elements
• Doesn’t deteriorate with time

6. TYPES OF
GLASSES
TYPE-I
Borosilicate glass
TYPE-II
Treated soda-lime
glass
TYPE-III
Soda-lime glass
TYPE-IV
(NP)

7. Highly resistance glassHighly resistance glass, a substantial part of the
alkali and earth cations are replaced by boron
and/or aluminum and zinc.
The addition of about 6% boron6% boron to form
borosilicate glass reduces the leaching action, so
that only 0.5 ppm0.5 ppm is dissolved in a year.
Suitable for parenteralparenteral usage.

8. This type of glass is formed by removal of surface
alkali by treatment with sulfur di-oxide,sulfur di-oxide,
ammonium sulfate or ammonium chlorideammonium sulfate or ammonium chloride to
prevent “weathering” or “blooming”.weathering” or “blooming”.
The glass is treated with the above said
chemicals at an elevated temperatureelevated temperature.
This makes the surface resistant and the alkali
removed appears on surface as blooms.

9. Containers are made of untreated commercial
soda-lime glass.
Chemical resistance is average or better then
average.
Suitable for storage of anhydrous parenteral
products.

10. These are made of plane soda- lime.
They are used for storage of oral and topical use.