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URDANETA CITY
UNIVERSITY College of Pharmacy
Owned and operated by the City Government of Urdaneta

UNIT 5. SEMI-SOLID DOSAGE FORMS

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
At the end of this module, the students should be able to:
• Differentiating ointments, creams, and gels in terms of composition, advantages and
disadvantages, application/use, method of preparation, packaging, labeling and storage
• Compounding ointments, creams, pastes, and glycerogelatins
• Packaging and Labeling representative semi-solid dosage forms

TOPIC OUTLINE:
1. Ointments, Creams and Gels
2. Miscellaneous Solid dosage Forms
a. Pastes
b. Plasters
c. Glycerogelatins

OINTMENTS
OINTMENTS
➢ Semisolid preparations intended for external application to the skin or mucous membranes.
➢ Aka __________________________

2 TYPES OF OINTMENTS:
• Medicated Ointment
• Non-medicated ointment

TYPES OF OINTMENTS ACCORDING TO COMPOSITION

OLEAGINOUS/ HYDROCARBON BASE
➢ Emollient effect, effective as occlusive dressings
➢ Difficult to wash off
➢ Greasy, anhydrous

Sources:
A. Petrolatum, USP
• Aka __________________________
• purified mixture of semisolid hydrocarbons obtained from petroleum
• Ex. Petroleum Jelly (Vaseline®)

B. White Petrolatum, USP

• a purified mixture of semisolid hydrocarbons from petroleum that has been wholly or nearly
decolorized.

This document is not for sale and is solely for educational purposes of UCU pharmacy students only. Reproduction, distribution,
uploading or posting online, transmitting in forms of any part of this document without prior permission is strictly prohibited.

DUG DELIVERY SYSTEMS LECTURE | PAM

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URDANETA CITY
UNIVERSITY College of Pharmacy
Owned and operated by the City Government of Urdaneta

• It is used for the same purpose as petrolatum, but because of its lighter color, it is considered
more esthetically pleasing by some pharmacists and patients.

C. Yellow Wax
• Purified wax obtained from the honeycomb of the honey bee, SN: ________________________

D. White Wax
• Bleached yellow wax

C. Yellow Ointment
• Simple ointment
• Combination of ________________________________

D. White Ointment
• White Petrolatum + White wax

ABSORPTION BASE
• Not easily removed from the skin with water washing, because the external phase of the
emulsion is oleaginous.
• Not easily removed from the skin with water washing, because the external phase of the
emulsion is oleaginous.
• Greasy, emollient, occlusive, non-water washable
• Can absorb small amounts of H2O – W/O

2 TYPES:
A. Hydrophilic Petrolatum
• permit the incorporation of aqueous solutions resulting in the formation of water-in-oil (W/O)
emulsions
• (Aquaphor®) – _______________________________

B. Lanolin (Wool Fat)

• permit the incorporation of additional quantities of aqueous solutions
• Wax-like substance from the wool of sheep, SN: _________________________
• purified waxlike substance that has been cleaned, deodorized, and decolorized
Types:
i. Anhydrous – ______________________
ii. Hydrous – ________________________
iii. Modified – _______________________

WATER REMOVABLE BASE

• Oil-in-Water (O/W)
• Water washable
• Non-greasy, Non-emollient, Non-occlusive
• Can be diluted with large amounts of H2O
• Example: Hydrophilic ointment

This document is not for sale and is solely for educational purposes of UCU pharmacy students only. Reproduction, distribution,
uploading or posting online, transmitting in forms of any part of this document without prior permission is strictly prohibited.

DUG DELIVERY SYSTEMS LECTURE | PAM

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URDANETA CITY
UNIVERSITY College of Pharmacy
Owned and operated by the City Government of Urdaneta

WATER SOLUBLE BASE

• Do not contain oleaginous components. They are completely water-washable and often referred
to as greaseless.
• Liquid-free, greaseless, non-occlusive, water-washable
• For incorporation of solid materials
• Example: PEG
❑ MW < 600: __________________
❑ MW > 1000: _________________
❑ MW 600-1000: _______________

COMPENDIAL REQUIREMENT FOR OINTMENTS

MICROBIAL CONTENT
• Used to inhibit microbial growth in topical preparations
o Methylparaben o Benzoic acid
o Propylparaben o Sorbic acid
o Phenols o Quaternary ammonium salts

MINIMUM FILL
• The USP's minimum fill test is determination of the net weight or volume of the contents of filled
containers to ensure proper contents compared with the labeled amount.

PACKAGING, STORAGE, AND LABELING

• Large-mouth ointment jars or in metal or plastic tubes.
• Stored in well-closed containers
• Place in a cool place or not exceeding to 25-30℃

CREAMS
CREAMS
• Semisolid preparations containing one or more medicinal agents dissolved or dispersed in either
a water-in-oil (W/O) emulsion or an oil-in-water (O/W) emulsion or in another type of water-
washable base.
• Used on mucous membranes, such as rectally and vaginally

ADVANTAGE:
➢ More easily spreadable

EXAMPLES OF CREAMS
1. Vanishing Cream
➢ Oil-in-Water (O/W) emulsion
Components:
➢ Large amount of H2O
➢ Humectant – _____________________________
❑ Ex. Glycerin, Sorbitol, PPG
➢ Stearic acid

This document is not for sale and is solely for educational purposes of UCU pharmacy students only. Reproduction, distribution,
uploading or posting online, transmitting in forms of any part of this document without prior permission is strictly prohibited.

DUG DELIVERY SYSTEMS LECTURE | PAM

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URDANETA CITY
UNIVERSITY College of Pharmacy
Owned and operated by the City Government of Urdaneta

2. Cold Cream
➢ Water-in-Oil (W/O) emulsion
Components:
➢ White wax
➢ Spermaceti – Sperm Whale, SN: ________________________________
➢ Almond oil or Mineral Oil
➢ AKA Rose Water Ointment

GELS
GELS
• Semisolid systems consisting of dispersions of small or large molecules in an aqueous liquid
vehicle rendered jellylike by the addition of a gelling agent.

TYPES OF GELS
● Single-phase gels are gels in which the macromolecules are uniformly distributed throughout a
liquid with no apparent boundaries between the dispersed macromolecules and the liquid.
● Two-phase system - A gel mass consisting of floccules of small distinct particles.

EXAMPLES OF GELS
● Carbopol 980
○ Androgel 1.62%
○ It is an androgen indicated for replacement therapy in adult males for conditions
associated with a deficiency or absence of endogenous testosterone.

MISCELLANEOUS SEMISOLID PREPARATIONS:

Pastes, Plasters, and Glycerogelatins
PASTES
➢ are semisolid preparations intended for application to the skin. They generally contain a larger
proportion of solid material (such as 25%) than ointments and therefore are stiffer.

ADVANTAGES & DISADVANTAGES

ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES

EXAMPLES OF PASTES
LASSAR’S PLAIN ZINC PASTE
• Aka Zinc Oxide Paste
• prepared by mixing 25% each of zinc oxide and starch with white petrolatum. The product is
very firm and is better able to protect the skin and absorb secretions than is zinc oxide ointment

This document is not for sale and is solely for educational purposes of UCU pharmacy students only. Reproduction, distribution,
uploading or posting online, transmitting in forms of any part of this document without prior permission is strictly prohibited.

DUG DELIVERY SYSTEMS LECTURE | PAM

 5
URDANETA CITY
UNIVERSITY College of Pharmacy
Owned and operated by the City Government of Urdaneta

PLASTERS
➢ are solid or semisolid adhesive masses spread on a backing of paper, fabric, moleskin, or plastic.
The adhesive material is a rubber base or a synthetic resin.
➢ Plasters are applied to the skin to provide prolonged contact at the site.

2 TYPES OF PLASTERS
A. NON-MEDICATED
 provide protection or mechanical support at the site of application.
B. MEDICATED
 provide effects at the site of application.
 They may be cut to size to conform to the surface to be covered.

GLYCEROGELATINS
➢ Plastic masses applied to the skin with a fine brush
Components:
● 40% Glycerin ● 15% Gelatin
● 35% H2O ● 10% API

EXAMPLE OF GLYCEROGELATIN
ZINC GELATIN
• used in the treatment of varicose ulcers.
• Aka zinc gelatin boot because of its ability to form a pressure bandage.

POULTICE
➢ One of the most ancient classes of pharmaceutical preparation
➢ Aka Cataplasm
➢ Soft, moist mass of meal, herbs, seeds, etc., applied hot in cloth
➢ Use: to localize infectious materials in the body
➢ E.g. Kaolin Poultice

Compiled by:

Princess Angelica M. Pamogas, RPh

Instructor, College of Pharmacy

This document is not for sale and is solely for educational purposes of UCU pharmacy students only. Reproduction, distribution,
uploading or posting online, transmitting in forms of any part of this document without prior permission is strictly prohibited.

DUG DELIVERY SYSTEMS LECTURE | PAM