Activity No.

9
Molded Solids: Pills
 ACTIVITY NO. 9
MOLDED SOLIDS: PILLS
Reagents used:
Ferrous sulfate – FeSO4
Potassium carbonate – K2CO3
Sucrose – C12H22O11
Tragacanth – plant gum, mixture of bassorin and
Tragacanthin (Astragalus gummifer)
Glycerin – C3H8O3
 ACTIVITY NO. 9
MOLDED SOLIDS: PILLS
1. Define Pill
Pill was originally defined as a small, round, solid
pharmaceutical oral dosage form that was used
before the advent of tablets and capsules. Pills were
made by mixing the active ingredients with an
excipient such as glucose syrup in a mortar and
pestle to form a paste, then rolling the mass into a
long cylindrical shape ( called a pipe) and dividing it
into equal portions, which were then rolled into
balls, and often coated with sugar to make them
more palatable.
 ACTIVITY NO. 9
MOLDED SOLIDS: PILLS
2. What is the indication of Blaud’s pill?
Blaud de Beaucaire
Dr Blaud was a French head physician of
Beaucaire,Gard Hospital in France (1831); who
introduced and started the use of Blaud’s pills or
iron pills as a medication for patients suffering
from anemia.
Cottereau
 ACTIVITY NO. 9
MOLDED SOLIDS: PILLS
3. What is the purpose of the addition of
Tragacanth into the formulation?
Tragacanth is used as a binding agent. Binders are
used to make the components stick together when
the ingredients are compressed to make the pill.
 ACTIVITY NO. 9
MOLDED SOLIDS: PILLS
DRUG RELEASE
Process by which a drug leaves a drug product and
is subjected to absorption, distribution,
metabolism and excretion (ADME)
• Immediate release – Acetaminophen Oxycodone
(Percocet); Acetaminophen Hydrocodone
(Norco)
• Modified release
• Delayed release – Fluoxetine (Prozac) DR; Omeprazole
(Prilosec) DR
• Extended release - Metformin
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MOLDED SOLIDS: PILLS
ZERO ORDER RELEASE KINETICS
Refers to the process of “constant” drug release
from a delivery device such as oral osmotic
tablets, transdermal tablets, matrix-tablets with
low-soluble drugs and other delivery systems
Achieved from nondisintegrating dosage forms
such as topical or transdermal, implant or oral
controlled release delivery systems
 ACTIVITY NO. 9
MOLDED SOLIDS: PILLS
DISSOLUTION – the drug release
Steps:
• Disintegrate solid dosage forms to aggregates
after reaching the stomach
• Deaggregation occurs and individual particles are
liberated
• Particles dissolve thereby releasing the acting
constituent into solution
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MOLDED SOLIDS: PILLS
DISSOLUTION
Time-dependent (kinetic) process that represents
the final step of drug release dosage forms
If drug dissolution is slow compared with drug
absorption, less drug may be absorbed
Slower absorption due to slow dissolution leads to
lower peak drug levels
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MOLDED SOLIDS: PILLS
DISSOLUTION TESTING
• Research and Development
• Quality control
• Bioequivalence

Can predict the in vivo performance of a drug