Advantage And Disadvantage Of Pharmaceutical Liquid Dosage Form

Liquid formulations are a preferred oral dosage form for many in the pediatric age group. They require a stable, dissolved, or suspended form of the drug that meets release, bioavailability, and taste requirements. Both immediate and sustained release liquid products are possible.

Pharmaceutical liquid

Liquid medicines are most commonly used by patients who have difficulties swallowing tablets and capsules such as children and the elderly. Liquid state forms are meant for internal, parental or external use. A liquid medicine can come in many forms which includes solutions, elixir, suspensions and syrups.

Read Also: What Happens If IM Is Given IV Or IV Is Given IM

Liquid dosage forms are effective pharmaceutical products containing a mixture of active pharmaceutical ingredients (API/Drug) and non drug components (excipients). They may contain other substances such as suitable dispersing, solubilizing, wetting, emulsifying, stabilizing, suspending, thickening agents and antimicrobial substances for preservation. They may also contain suitable sweetening agents, flavoring agents and permitted coloring agents.

Advantage Of Liquid Dosage Form

1. Easy to take by those who find solid difficult to swallow including children and elderly

2. Faster absorption than solid as the active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) is already in solution

3. Doses can easily be adjusted by measuring device which is not obtainable in solid

4. Taste, odour and colour can be masked

5. Hygroscopic and deliquescent medicaments which are not suitably dispensed in solid dosage forms can easily be given in liquid dosage form

6. Some medications are more effective in liquid formulation e.g. cough syrup, antacid, absorbent, etc

Disadvantage Of Liquid Dosage Form

1. Less stable with short half life compare to solid dosage form

2. More prone to microbial degradation as it contains suitable environment for microbial growth (water and sugar)

Read Also: Overview of Pharmaceutical liquid medicine

3. It is bulky, hence difficult to handle, transport and store

4. Some require special storage conditions to keep it stable long enough e.g. vaccine

5. Production is expensive

6. It is easily affected by environmental conditions such as temperature and light

7. Variation of dosing due to measuring error especially among the elderly, those with arthritis, etc

8. Loss of whole content due to breaking container can occur

9. Taste, odor and appearance of unmask liquid dosage form is always more pronounced than solid dosage form