Pharmaceutics

Abstract

Pharmaceutics is the pharmacy discipline concerned with dose form design, development and manufacture and includes consideration of physiochemical characteristics of drugs and excipients, how drugs are delivered to the site of action, and product stability and quality. This subject addresses pharmaceutical science concepts including dissolution and diffusion, fluid mechanics and … For more content click the Read More button below. A range of existing and emerging dose forms and routes of administration will be studied.

This subject addresses pharmaceutical science concepts including dissolution and diffusion, fluid mechanics and rheology, and surface properties. Physicochemical characteristics of drugs and excipients, and the effect on dose form design, manufacture and drug delivery will be examined, as will factors contributing to medicine product quality, including polymers, packaging, stability and quality control, sustainability and environmental impacts.

A range of existing and emerging dose forms and routes of administration will be studied.

Syllabus

The subject will cover the following topics: overview of dose forms and routes of drug administration;pharmaceutical calculations: dose, concentration, dilution, formula manipulation, delivery rate, pH and tonicity adjustment, degradation kinetics, shelf-life;physicochemical principles underlying the design and development of stable and effective dose forms;application of fluid mechanics and rheology in pharmacy; … For more content click the Read More button below.

The subject will cover the following topics:

overview of dose forms and routes of drug administration;
pharmaceutical calculations: dose, concentration, dilution, formula manipulation, delivery rate, pH and tonicity adjustment, degradation kinetics, shelf-life;
physicochemical principles underlying the design and development of stable and effective dose forms;
application of fluid mechanics and rheology in pharmacy; surface properties (surface tension, surfactants, droplets, films); dissolution and diffusion;
application of polymers in pharmacy: dose forms and packaging;
formulation and drug stabilty and quality; drug analysis and pharmacopoeial standards; determination of shelf-life; packaging;
properties and formulation of dose forms, including:
solutions, suspensions, fluid and semisolid emulsions; pharmaceutical solids, tablets and capsules; other dose forms - parenteral, ophthalmic, nasal and otic, transdermal, pulmonary, rectal/vaginal; personal care products;
fundamentals of veterinary dose form development;
sustained release, targeted and novel delivery technologies; and
sustainability and environmental considerations, falsified medicines.

Assessment items

1. Topic tests

2. Practical quiz

3. Mid-year exam

4. Seminar

5. Final exam

Learning outcomes

Upon successful completion of this subject, students should:

describe a range of dose forms and routes of drug administration;

identify and discuss the physicochemical principles that underpin dose form design, formulation, manufacture, packaging and use;

explain how formulations and devices influence delivery of drugs to patients;

describe factors affecting stability of drug formulations, quality assurance procedures and shelf-life determination, and basic analytical principles applied to pharmaceutical analysis;

accurately perform pharmaceutical calculations; and

apply pharmaceutical principles and knowledge to contemporary issues of dose form development and management.

Enrolment restrictions

Replacement

Incompatible

Pre-requisite

Learning activities

Intensive

Learning resources

Additional resources required by students

Students attending compulsory intensive schools on Charles Sturt campuses will incur costs associated with travel, accommodation and required resources.

Handbook

PHM233 - Pharmaceutics