This document provides an overview of pharmaceutical dosage forms. It defines a dosage form as the physical form that a drug takes, such as solid, liquid, or gas, to deliver the drug to a particular site in the body. Dosage forms are classified based on route of administration and physical form. The key functions of dosage forms are to protect drugs, improve therapeutic activity, and enhance patient compliance. Various types of solid, liquid, semisolid, and gaseous dosage forms are described along with their characteristics and examples.

1. Presented By
NARESH GORANTLA, M.Pharm.., (Ph.D)
Assoc. Professor,
Balaji college of Pharmacy,
Anantapuramu
PHARMACEUTICA
L DOSAGE FORMS

2. What is a Dosage form?
Pharmaceutical dosage form
can be defined as a physical form
of a drug such as a solid, liquid or
gas by which it can be delivered
in proper form to particular sites
within the body.

3. What is the need of a dosage form ?
Protection
1. Protection from external environment eg. coated tablets and
sealed ampoules.
2. Protection from degradation because of gastric juice.
To improve therapeutic activity
1.To provide optimal drug action directly to the site of action eg
ointments.
2. To place the drug directly in to the orifices eg. Rectal and
vaginal dosage forms
3. To provide optimal drug action in the blood stream eg Injections
4. To provide rate controlled drug action eg modified release
dosage forms
5. To improve Bioavailability of drugs with narrow absorption
window eg. Gastro retentive dosage forms

4. To improve patient compliance
1. To maintain accuracy of dose eg. Unit dosage forms
2. Reduction in frequency of dosing eg Sustained Release and
Controlled Release.
3. To improve the physical properties of drugs eg coated dosage
forms
4. Ease of handling & administration

5. Classification of Dosage forms
Dosage forms can be classified according to
Route of administration Physical form
Oral Liquids
Topical Semisolids
Parenteral Solids
Rectal Gases
Vaginal
Inhalational
Opthalmic
Otic
Nasal

6. Classification of Liquids
Liquid dosage forms can be classified into 2
major classes i.e.
 Monophasic liquids
 Biphasic liquids

7. *Monophasic dosage form refers to liquid
preparation containing two or more components
in one phase system, it is represented by true
solution.

8. *Solutions are clear homogenous Liquid
preparations intended for internal or external
use containing one or more active ingredients
dissolved in a suitable vehicle.
*The component of the solution which is
present in a large quantity is known as
“SOLVENT” where as the component present
in small quantity is termed as “SOLUTE”.

9. Monophasic Liquid Dosage forms

10. *Syrups are Aqueous preparations containing 60% to
85% sucrose with or without flavoring agents and
medicinal substances. e.g. Chlorpheniramine
maleate syrup, Chloral hydrate .
*Flavored syrups and medicated syrups

11. * A Mixture is a liquid preparation meant for oral
administration in which medicament or
medicaments are dissolved or suspended in a
suitable vehicle.
* Not used for long period of time.
* Prescribed for acute conditions like cough,
indigestion, diarrhoea, constipation etc.

12. * Elixirs are clear, aromatic, sweetened, hydro alcoholic
solutions with or without medicinal substances, intended
for oral use. Eg: Dexamethasone elixir .
* The vehicle may contain a high proportion of ethanol or
sucrose together with antimicrobial preservatives which
confers the stability of the preparation.

13. * Linctuses are viscous, liquid oral preparations that are generally
prescribed for the relief of cough. Eg: Codeine Linctus.
*Linctus contain medicaments which have a demulcent, sedative
and expectorant action on the membranes of the throat.
*The dose volume is small (5ml) and, to prolong the demulcent
action, they should be taken undiluted, sipped and swallowed
slowly .

14. *Lotions are liquid preparations meant for external application
without friction.
*Local action as cooling, soothing or protective purposes.
*Aqueous and non aqueous lotions (Alcoholic lotions).
*Cleansing, moisturizing and antiseptic lotions.

15. *Liniments are liquid preparations meant for external application
on to the skin with friction and rubbing.
*Alcoholic or oily solutions and emulsions.
*Analgesic, Rubefacient, soothing and counter irritant actions.

16. * Collodions are liquid preparations for external use
containing pyroxylin in a mixture of ethyl ether and
alcohol.
* To protect the wounds and cuts.

17. *Gargles are aqueous solutions used to prevent or treat
throat infections.
*Available in concentrated form and are to be diluted with
warm water before use.

18. * These are aqueous solutions with pleasant taste and odour
used to make clean and deodorise the buccal cavity.
* Antibacterials, alcohol, glycerin, sweetening agents,
flavoring agents and coloring agents.

19. * Throat paints are viscous liquid preparations used for mouth
and throat infections to adhere to the mucous membranes
for long period.
* Glycerin as base.

20. *A Douche is a medicated solution meant for rinsing body cavity
containing Antiseptic or Astringents.
* Vaginal cavity, eyes, ear or nasal cavity for cleaning or
removing foreign particles or discharges from them.
*Powder or tablet form or concentrated solution form.

21. * Ear drops are the aqueous solutions that are instilled into
the ear with a dropper.
* Cleaning the ear, softening the wax and for treating
infections.

22. *These are the aqueous solutions that are instilled into the
nose with a dropper.
*No oily vehicles – lipoid pneumonia.

23. *Eye drops are the sterile aqueous preparations that are
intended to be instilled into the eyes.
*Isotonic and suitable pH.

24. * Enemas are aqueous or oily solutions or suspensions that
are introduced into the rectum for cleansing, therapeutic
or diagnostic purposes.

25. Biphasic Liquids
* Emulsions are the biphasic liquid dosage forms containing two
immiscible liquids that are made miscible by the addition of a
surfactant.
*o/w emulsions
*w/o emulsions

26. Suspensions are the biphasic liquid dosage forms of
medicaments in which the finely divided solid particles are
dispersed in a liquid vehicle.
*Oral
*Parenteral
*Topical
*Opthalmic

27. Semisolid Dosage forms
*Ointments
*Creams
*Pastes
*Jellies
*Suppositories

28. *Ointments are semisolid preparations meant for
external application to the skin or mucous
membrane.
*They usually contain medicament or medicaments
dissolved, suspended or emulsified in an ointment
base.

29. *Creams are viscous semi solid emulsions which are
meant for external application.
*Softer consistency and light in weight.
*Aqueous creams and Oily creams

30. *Pastes are semisolid preparations intended for
external application to the skin.
*Usually very stiff and thick.
*Protective, absorptive and antiseptic.

31. *Jellies are transparent or translucent non greasy,
semi solid preparations meant for external
application to the skin.
*Medicated, Lubricating jellies.

32. *Suppositories are semi solid shaped dosage forms
of medicaments intended for insertion into body
cavities other than mouth.
*Dissolves at body temperature.
*Rectum, vagina, nose and ear.

33. *Poultices are soft, viscous wet masses of solid substances
applied to the skin for their fomentation action in order to
provide relief from pain or reduce inflammation or to act
as counter irritant.
*Applied to affected part after heating with occasional
stirring.

34. SOLID DOSAGE FORMS
*Tablets and Capsules
*Powders and Granules
*Tablets: A tablet is a solid unit dosage form
containing medicament or medicaments
compressed to form round, oval or square
shape.
*Uncoated or coated tablets
*Buccal and Sublingual tablets
*Effervescent tablets
*Chewable tablets
*Lozenges and Pastilles
*Pills

35. *Sugar coated tablets
*Film coated tablets
*Enteric coated tablets
Sugar-Coated Tablets Film Coated Tablets
Enteric Coated Tablets

36. *Sublingual and buccal medications are administered by placing
them in the mouth, either under the tongue (sublingual) or
between the gum and the cheek(buccal).
*The medications dissolve rapidly and are absorbed through the
mucous membranes of the mouth, where they enter into the
blood stream.

37. *Effervescent tablets are uncoated tablets that generally
contain acid substances(citric and tartaric acids)and
carbonates or bicarbonates and which react rapidly in the
presence of water by releasing carbon di oxide.
*They are intended to be dissolved or dispersed in water
before use providing:
*Very rapid tablet dispersion and dissolution.
*Pleasant tasting carbonated drink.

38. *They are tablets that chewed prior to swallowing.
*They are designed for administration of drugs to children
e.g. vitamin products.
*Antacid formulations.

39. * Lozenges are solid preparations consisting of sugar and
gum, the latter giving strength and cohesiveness to the
lozenge and facilitating slow release of the medicament.
* It is used to medicate the mouth and throat for the slow
administration of indigestion or cough remedies.

40. * Pastilles are solid medicated preparations designed to
dissolve slowly in the mouth.
*They are softer than lozenges and their bases are either
glycerol and gelatin, or acacia and sugar.

41. *Pills are solid oral dosage forms of spherical shape prepared
from one or more medicaments incorporated with inert
excipients.
*Pills are now rarely used.

42. *Capsules are self contained solid oral dosage forms in which
the medicament or medicaments along with suitable
excipients is enclosed in a empty gelatin shell.
*Hard and Soft gelatin capsules

43. * Pharmaceutical powders are intimate mixtures of dry
finely divided drugs or chemicals intended for internal or
external use.
* The mixed powders may be stored in dry form and mixture
prepared by the pharmacist when required for dispensing,
by suspending the powders in the appropriate vehicle.

44. * Granules are free flowing powder aggregates consisting of
drugs and suitable excipients and often supplied in single
dose sachets.
* Some granules are placed on the tongue and swallowed with
water, others are intended to be dissolved in water before
taking.
* Effervescent granules evolve carbon di oxide when added to
water.

45. GASES
* Pharmaceutically gaseous dosage forms can be defined as
any elastic aeroform fluids in which the molecules are
separated from one another and so have free paths.
*Pressurized Aerosols
*Inhalers

46. * A product that is packaged under pressure and contains
therapeutically active ingredients that are released upon
activation of an appropriate valve system in the form of spray,
mist, foam etc.
* These are intended for topical application to the skin as well as
local application into the nose (nasal aerosols), mouth (lingual
aerosols), or lungs (inhalation aerosols)

47. *A special class of dosage forms consisting of a drug or
combination of drugs, that by virtue of their high vapor
pressure can be carried by an air current into the nasal
passage where they exert their effect.
*Anti asthmatics & steroidal drugs

48. PARENTERALS
“ Introduced other than by way of the intestine”

49. PARENTERALS
Cont…
*Parenterals are defined as sterile dosage forms meant for
administration into body by means of injection, infusion or
implantation.
* Majorly through Intravenous, Intra muscular and Subcutaneously
subcutaneously
intramuscularly
intravenously

50. * SVP – Small Volume Parenterals
* lVP – Large Volume Parenterals
* Dosage forms like
* Powders
* Solutions
* Suspensions
* Emulsions

51. THANK YOU