Dosage form

Dosage forms, also termed unit doses, represent the pharmaceutical products in their ready-to-market form. Typically, they incorporate both active drug ingredients and excipients. Certain non-reusable materials, which aren't strictly defined as ingredients or packaging—like capsule shells—might be part of these forms. The term's boundary sometimes extends to include non-reusable packaging, especially when each drug product is individually packaged. However, the FDA differentiates between unit-dose "packaging" and "dispensing".

DXM pill doses

Sandoz Methylprednisolone oral

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Injection dosage form

Unit dose

Unit dose can refer to various drug products packaged collectively or a lone product containing multiple drugs/doses. In some contexts, dosage form might strictly pertain to a drug product's chemical formulation, excluding its consumable forms like capsules or patches. Due to these terms' fluid definitions within the pharmaceutical realm, it's advisable to seek clarity during external communications.

Types of Dosage Forms

The drug's method or route of administration (ROA) determines its dosage form. A drug can be presented in a multitude of forms, considering that diverse medical conditions might require different administration routes.

Routes of Administration

The chosen dosage form impacts the drug's ROA. For instance, a liquid dosage form suggests the drug or medication's liquid composition intended for ingestion or use.

A drug can be available in various dosage forms since certain medical conditions may hinder the use of particular forms. For instance, persistent nausea could render oral forms unfeasible, leading to alternatives like inhalational or buccal. Certain drugs, due to factors such as chemical stability or pharmacokinetics, mandate specific forms. An exemplar is insulin, which isn't suitable for oral consumption since metabolism in the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) prevents effective therapeutic delivery.

Oral

• Pill: Tablet or capsule
• Specialty tablets: Buccal, sub-lingual, or orally-disintegrating
• Thin film: e.g., Listerine Pocketpaks
• Liquid solutions/suspensions: e.g., drinks or syrup
• Powders, liquids, or solid crystals
• Natural or herbal entities: Plants, seeds, or food (e.g., marijuana in "special brownies")
• Pastes: e.g., Colgate toothpaste

Inhalational

• Aerosol
• Inhaler
• Nebulizer
• Smoking
• Vaporizer

Parenteral

• Intradermal (ID)
• Intramuscular (IM)
• Intraosseous (IO)
• Intraperitoneal (IP)
• Intravenous (IV)
• Subcutaneous (SC)
• Intrathecal (IT): Injection into the spinal column

Topical

• Forms: Cream, gel, liniment, balm, lotion, ointment, etc.
• Ear drops (otic)
• Eye drops (ophthalmic)
• Skin patches
• Vaginal rings

Suppository

• Vaginal: Douche, pessary, etc.
• Rectal

See also

• Classification of Pharmaco-Therapeutic Referrals
• Drug delivery
• Route of administration

External links

• Dosage From Development

Dosage form Resources
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