Advantage And Disadvantage Of Pharmaceutical Suspension

A pharmaceutical suspension is a coarse dispersion of insoluble solid particles in a liquid medium. The particle diameter in a suspension is usually greater than 0.5 µm. However, it is difficult and also impractical to impose a sharp boundary between the suspensions and the dispersions having finer particles.

Pharmaceutical suspension

In an ideal suspension, particles are uniformly dispersed and remain so even after prolonged periods of time. Even if sedimentation occurs, particles should readily redisperse upon mild agitation of the container.

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Advantages Of Pharmaceutical Suspension

1. Pharmaceutical suspension can improve chemical stability of certain drug offering resistance to degradation of drugs due to hydrolysis, oxidation or microbial activity

2. Drug in suspension exhibits higher rate of bioavailability than other dosage forms

3. Duration and onset of action can be controlled

4. Suspension can mask the unpleasant bitter taste of drug

5. The effective dispensing of hydrophobic drugs 

6. Avoidance of the use of cosolvents

7. Pharmaceutical suspensions may be formulated to provide controlled drug delivery

8. Easy swallowing for young or elderly patients; and efficient intramuscular depot therapy

9. In addition, when compared to solution dosage forms, relatively higher concentration of drugs can be incorporated into suspension product

10. The suspension is suitable for drug delivery systems for therapeutic agents that have low solubility

11. Can be self administered without pain

12. Dose can easily be adjusted by changing the measurement

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Disadvantages Of Pharmaceutical Suspension

1. Physical stability, sedimentation and compaction can cause problems

2. It is bulky and sufficient care must be taken during handling and transport

3. It is difficult and expensive to formulate

4. Uniform and accurate dose cannot be achieved unless suspension are packed in unit dosage form

5. Pourability and syringeability issues (e.g., injectable suspensions)

6. Crystal formation and breaking of suspension

7. Texture of suspensions may be unpleasant to patients