Advantage And Disadvantage Of Pharmaceutical Powder

Pharmaceutical powders are solid dosage forms of medicament in which one or more drugs are dispensed in a finely divided state with or without excipients.

Powder

Advantages Of Powder

1. It is used both internally and externally

2. Powders are more physically and chemically stable when compared to the liquid dosage form hence many antibiotics and injections are manufactured as powder for reconstitution in respective vehicle

3. It is convenient for the physician to prescribe a specific amount of powder

4. Onset of action is faster as compared to tablets and capsules because it is easily dissolved in body fluids

5. Easy to carry

6. Easy to administration to the patient orally by dissolving in suitable liquids

Read Also: Overview of parenteral administration

7. The drug product in the powder dosage forms is less prone to microbial contamination

8. It is an easy mode of drug administration when the dose is very large by mixing them with food or drinks

9. It is well accepted by pediatric and geriatric patients

10. Manufacturing of powder is economic hence product coat is quite low as compared to other dosage forms

Disadvantages Of Powder

1. Powders are bulky in dosage form and cause difficulty in handling and transport

2. They are not easily transferable from a container and may spill

3. The method of preparation and packaging is time-consuming

Read Also: Classification of pharmaceutical powder

4. Drug substances that are having an unpleasant taste are not suitable to administer in powder form

5. The substances that are hygroscopic, deliquescent, volatile, and oxygen-sensitive are not suitable to be administered in powder form

6. Powder form is not suitable for drugs that are inactivated in or cause damage to stomach: these should he presented as enteric-coated tablets

7. Quantity less than 100 mg cannot be weighed conveniently

8. Bulk powders are not suitable for administering potent drugs with low doses. This is because individual doses are usually extracted from the bulk using a 5 ml spoon, which is subject to variation in spoon fill (e.g., level or heaped spoonfuls)

9. The masking of unpleasant tastes may be a problem with this type of preparation. A method of attempting this is by formulating the powder into a pleasantly tasting or taste-masked effervescent product, whereas tablets and capsules are a more common alternative for low-dose products

10. Inaccuracy of dose in case of bulk powder

11. They are susceptible to physical instability