6/4/2017

Dispensing Techniques
Compounding and Good Practice

6/4/2017 BA-FP-JU-C

Compounding (Extemporaneous Dispensing)

• Definition: A small-scale manufacture of medicines from

basic ingredients in the community or in hospital pharmacy (
vs. medicines manufactured by the pharmaceutical
industry).

• Extemporaneous dispensing should only be used when

medicines are not available commercially in the market:
 Low demand.
 Requires an individualized dose, e.g. paediatric.
 Requires an individualized formulation for a patient.

1
 6/4/2017

The working environment

• Organization
• Cleanliness
The bench, the equipment, utensils & the container. Lack of
cleanliness can cause contamination of the preparation with other
ingredients or a microbial contamination.
• Appearance
A clean white overall, closed, hair tied up.
• Documenting procedures and results
 Keeping comprehensive records for a minimum of 2 years (ideally 5
years) and include the formula, the ingredients and quantities used,
their sources, batch numbers and expiry date.
 The record for a prescribed item should also include the patient and
prescription details and date of dispensing.
 A record must be kept for the personnel involved including the
responsible pharmacist.
 Methodical approach.

6/4/2017 BA-FP-JU-C

EQUIPMENT
A. Weighing

• Class B dispensing balance (torsion balances)

have traditionally been used in dispensing.
These balances are designed for the weighing of
medicinal or pharmaceutical substances
required in filling of prescriptions or in a small
scale compounding.

• Electronic balances (digital) are more common

nowadays.

6/4/2017 BA-FP-JU-C

2
 6/4/2017

EQUIPMENT

Torbal torsion balance ( class B) and Ohaus electronic

balance.
6/4/2017 BA-FP-JU-C

EQUIPMENT

Set of metric weights

6/4/2017 BA-FP-JU-C

3
 6/4/2017

EQUIPMENT
A. Weighing

•When weighing, some important rules to ensure good

dispensing practice:
If using a solid material which requires to be size reduced
(ground) or sieved, always ensure that this is carried out
before weighing the required quantity.
As far as possible never split quantities and do two
weightings, as this will increase the inaccuracies.
Minimum weighable quantity (MWQ) should be
considered: If a quantity less than the MWQ needed, it is
necessary to:
weigh the minimum weight allowable (or more) and make
an excess of the product
or prepare it by trituration.

BA-FP-JU-C

EQUIPMENT
B. Measuring liquids
• Liquid measures :
 Graduated pipettes
 Cylindrical measures
 Conical measures

Volume error
differentials due
to instrument
diameters

6/4/2017 BA-FP-JU-C

4
 6/4/2017

EQUIPMENT

Examples of metric-scale
cylindrical (A) and conical
pharmaceutical graduates
(B).

BA-FP-JU-C 6/4/2017

EQUIPMENT
B. Measuring liquids…….cont.,
• Rules for measurement:
 Use the smallest measure.
 Do NOT split measures.
 Measurement by difference for viscous liquids.
 Measuring small volumes: by small conical measure, by
graduated pipettes, and by trituration.
 Taring of containers (next slides).

6/4/2017 BA-FP-JU-C

5
 6/4/2017

EQUIPMENT
B. Measuring liquids…….cont.,

Tared containers
• For what purpose?
 Liquid preparations should as far as possible be made up to
volume in a measure.
 There are, however, instances when accurate transfer of the
preparation to the final container is difficult.
 With some suspensions it can be almost impossible to remove all
the insoluble ingredients when pouring from one container to
another.
 Emulsions and viscous preparations can also be difficult to
transfer accurately. In these cases a tared container should be
used.

6/4/2017 BA-FP-JU-C

EQUIPMENT
B. Measuring liquids…….cont.,
Tared containers
• How to tare a bottle?

 A volume of water identical to the volume of the product being

dispensed is accurately measured. This is then poured into the chosen
medicine container and the meniscus marked with the upper edge of a
small adhesive label, effectively making the bottle into a single-point
measure.
 The container is then emptied and allowed to drain thoroughly.
 The preparation is then poured into the container and made up to
volume, using the tare mark as the guide.
 This procedure should be used with discretion and only in situations
when major inaccuracies would occur in the transfer of liquids. It
should also only be used when water is present as one of the
ingredients. Putting medicines into a wet bottle is generally considered
bad practice.
6/4/2017 BA-FP-JU-C

6
 6/4/2017

EQUIPMENT
C. Mixing & Grinding
Mortar and pestle
A. Glass mortar and pestle
• Used for small quantities: Useful for dissolving small quantities of
ingredients, for mixing small quantities of fine powders
• Suitable for size reduction of friable materials (such as crystals).
• Used for the mixing of substances such as dyes which are absorbed
by and stain composition or porcelain mortars.

6/4/2017 BA-FP-JU-C

EQUIPMENT
C. Mixing & Grinding….cont.

B. Porcelain or composition
mortars and pestles
• Larger than the glass variety and
have a rougher surface.
• Ideal for:
 size reduction of solids
 mixing solids and liquids, as in the
preparation of suspensions and
emulsions.

6/4/2017 BA-FP-JU-C

7
 6/4/2017

Manipulative techniques
Correct equipment + Appropriate technique = Good Compounding
Practice
* Mixing
The goal of any mixing operation should be to ensure that even
distribution of all the ingredients has occurred.
•Mixing of liquids: Simple stirring or shaking (the degree depends
on the viscosity of liquids).

•Mixing solids with liquids: stirring rod (solution), pestle and

mortar (suspension).

•Mixing solids with solids: mortar and pestle, “doubling up”

procedure.

•Mixing semi-solids
rubbing them on an ointment slab using a spatula (may need
doubling up).
The fusion method using a porcelain evaporating basin.

Equipment
D. Filters
Filters are used when clarification of a liquid is required.
Filter paper
• They are mainly made from wooden pulp (cellulose fibers).
• Filter paper has the disadvantages of:
 introducing fibers into the filtrate
 and may also absorb significant amounts of active ingredient. Such
disadvantages are less likely to happen with the following types.

Membrane filters
• Includes wide variety of pore sizes and membrane materials
(cellulose acetate, cellulose nitrate, polycarbonate, PTFE).

6/4/2017 BA-FP-JU-C

8
 6/4/2017

Equipment
D. Filters

Sintered glass filters

• These do not shed fibers, are easy to clean and can be used for
substances which attack filter paper such as potassium
permanganate and zinc chloride.

Notes:
• A filter with a pore size 15–40 µm is suitable for most
solutions. They will pass through by gravity, although large
volumes may be slow and need the assistance of a vacuum.
• A filter with pore size of 5–15 µm requires a vacuum.
6/4/2017 BA-FP-JU-C

Filters

Sintered glass filter

6/4/2017 BA-FP-JU-C

9
 6/4/2017

Equipment
E. Heat sources
• Bunsen (gas) burners

The Bunsen burner, used for heating laboratory equipment and

chemicals. The flame can reach temperatures of 1,500°C.

6/4/2017 BA-FP-JU-C

Equipment
E. Heat sources

• Water-baths: These are used when melting

ointment bases or preparing suppositories
• Electric hot plates: Used for melting and
heating and have the advantage of
thermostatic controls.

6/4/2017 BA-FP-JU-C

10
 6/4/2017

SELECTION OF INGREDIENTS
• Reputable supplier.
• Competitive prices.
• Check on expiry dates.
• Good storage conditions.
• Variety of forms.
• Synonyms.

6/4/2017 BA-FP-JU-C

SELECTION OF INGREDIENTS
• Variety of forms:

6/4/2017 BA-FP-JU-C

11
 6/4/2017

Selection of ingredients
• Synonyms:

BA-FP-JU-C

SELECTION OF INGREDIENTS
Concentrated waters
•Liquid preparations for oral use are often flavored to
make them more palatable for the patient.
•In extemporaneously prepared products the flavoring
is frequently a flavored water, e.g. peppermint water,
aniseed water.
•All concentrated waters (10% v/v) have the same
dilution factor to prepare single strength flavored water
(0.25% v/v), i.e. 1 part of concentrate plus 39 parts of
water to give 40 parts of flavored water.

6/4/2017 BA-FP-JU-C

12
 6/4/2017

PROBLEM SOLVING IN
EXTEMPORANEOUS DISPENSING
• ‘Official’ preparations
• The application of simple scientific knowledge; physical
properties.
• Solubility: are the ingredients soluble in the main vehicles,
the particle size, are they present in a lumpy or granular form.
If the substance is not soluble, a suspension or an emulsion
where one material is an oil will be produced.
• Volatile ingredients
• Viscosity: The following prescription is received:
• Sodium Bicarbonate Ear Drops BP, Send 10 mL.
• Formula:
Sodium bicarbonate 500 mg
Glycerol 3 mL
Freshly boiled and cooled water to 10 mL
• Expiry date.
6/4/2017 BA-FP-JU-C

COUNTING DEVICES For Tablets and Capsules

Various methods can be used for this counting:

• The manual method.
• Counting triangle (for pills)
• Capsule counter.
• A perforated counting tray.
• An electronic counter: Electronic balances, Photoelectric
cell counters.
• medicines must not be touched by hand.
• The equipment should also be carefully cleaned before use.
6/4/2017 BA-FP-JU-C

13
 6/4/2017

Counting triangle

http://iforg.com/blog/?p=17

6/4/2017 BA-FP-JU-C

Capsule counter

6/4/2017 BA-FP-JU-C

14
 6/4/2017

Perforated Counting Tray

http://www.adelphi-coldstream.uk.com/products/pharmacyl-dispensing-equipment/tablet-capsule-
counters/tumatic-capsule-counter.html

6/4/2017 BA-FP-JU-C

Key Points
• Extemporaneous dispensing should only be
used when manufactured medicines are not
available.
• Accurate dispensing requires clean, neat
methodical work.
• Comprehensive records of extemporaneous
dispensing are required to be kept for at least
2 years.
• Electronic balances are increasingly being used
in extemporaneous dispensing.
6/4/2017 BA-FP-JU-C

15
 6/4/2017

Key Points
• Do not use a balance to weigh less than its
minimum weighable quantity.
• Ensure that liquid measures comply with the
Weights and Measures Regulations.
• Always use the bottom of the meniscus when
measuring liquids.
• Viscous liquids should be measured ‘by
difference’.
• Pipettes are used to measure volumes between
0.1 mL and 5 mL.
6/4/2017 BA-FP-JU-C

Key Points
• Select the smallest measure for the volume of
liquid to be measured.
• A glass mortar and pestle can be used for size
reduction of friable materials and mixing small
quantities of fine powder.
• A porcelain mortar and pestle is used for larger
quantities, for mixing solids and liquids, making
emulsions and for size reduction.
• ’Doubling-up’ is used for mixing a small quantity
of powder with a larger quantity.
6/4/2017 BA-FP-JU-C

16
 6/4/2017

Key Points
• Confusion can arise with different forms of the
same material and the use of synonyms.
• Concentrated waters are diluted 1 part with 39
parts of water for use as single strength.
• Simple problem-solving techniques can produce a
satisfactory method of dispensing a product.
• Tablets and capsules can be counted manually, or
by using a triangle, capsule counter, counting tray
or an electronic counter.
• Tablets and capsules should not be counted in the
hand.
6/4/2017 BA-FP-JU-C

17