Department of Pharmaceutics & Pharmaceutical Technology (D074)

DEPARTMENT OF PHARMACEUTICS & PHARMACEUTICAL TECHNOLOGY (PTE) COURSE DESCRIPTION FOR PHARMD PROGRAMME

Pharmaceutical Calculations (2 Units)                                                                        PTE 203
  • Metric system, common system, and conversions
  • Percentage preparation, dilution, and concentration
  • Proportional calculations and alligation; Calculations involving very small quantities. Reducing and enlarging formulas
  • Molarity, Normality, equivalent weights
  • Isotonic solutions
  • Electrolyte solutions and concept of milliequivalent
  • Posology- calculation of doses
  • Calculations involving radioisotopes
  • Buffers and buffered solutions
Introduction to Pharmaceutics (3 Units)                                                         PTE 242
  • Fundamental Operations in weighing: Errors in using dispensing balances; minimum weighable amounts and weighing techniques; conical and beaker shaped measures for dispensing liquids; errors in measurements and measuring technique. Household measures and weighing of small amounts of materials.
  • Ethics of Dispensing and Presentation of Products: General dispensing procedure; The prescription; information given on the labels of dispensed medicines. Presentation of information on labels; Additional labels.
  • Types of Pharmaceutical Preparations: Solutions, mixtures, linctuses, syrups, elixirs, oral liquids, emulsions, applications, lotions, gargles, creams, ointments, gels,
  • Types of Pharmaceutical Preparations: Suppositories, pessaries, mouthwashes, nasal, and eardrops. Divided and bulk powders, granules, cachets, capsules, and tablets, etc.
  • Pharmaceutical solution and solubility: factors affecting solubility and rate of dissolution of drugs; Solution of liquids; The distribution of solutes between immiscible liquids and applications of the distributions law in pharmacy; Colligative properties of solutions. pH and buffer solutions.
  • Phase equilibra: The phase rule systems of one and two components and applications in pharmacy, e.g., eutectic mixture and sublimation (freeze) drying.
Practical Pharmaceutics [Dispensing] (1 Unit)                                               PTE 244
  • Laboratory experiments covering the topics discussed and the dispensing of the several dosage forms covered in the theory class. These include basic dispensing tools and operations; liquid preparations (solutions, mixtures/suspensions etc.); semi-solid preparations (emulsions, creams, ointments, gels, pastes etc.); and solid preparations (suppositories, powder and granules, cachets).
Physical Pharmaceutics and Rheology (3 Units)                                                                     PTE 341
  • Adsorption: The mechanism of adsorption: The Langmuir and B.E.T. isotherms, chemisorption; factors affecting the amount absorbed; application of adsorption in pharmacy.
  • Surface and Interfacial Phenomena: Surface tension: contact angle and the wetting of solids, spreading of one liquid over another, mechanism of capillary rise and effect of temperature, method of determining surface tension. Surface active agents and their classification: pharmaceutical applications and medicinal importance of surface-active agents.
  • Bulk Properties of Surfactant Solutions: micelle formation and methods for the determination of the critical micelle concentration (C.M.C); factors affecting micelles; stability of micelles. Solubilization: factors affecting solubilization, preparation of lyophobic solutions; stability of lyophobic colloids.
  • Dispersed systems: Suspensions: factors affecting the preparation of a physically stable suspension flocculated and deflocculated systems; caking and resuspension; sedimentation, behaviour of flocculated and deflocculated suspensions; pharmaceutical applications of suspensions; colouring agents used in the formulation of suspensions.
  • Emulsions and emulsification: types of emulsion and testing of emulsion types; theories of emulsions (Bancroft’s Harkins oriented wedge and the complex film theories); emulsifying agents and their classification; methods available for the preparation of emulsions; preservation and stability of emulsions; concept of hydrophile-lipophile-balance (HLB); formation emulsions by HLB methods; methods for determining HLB numbers; semisolid emulsions. Creams-types and preparations.
  • Ointments-types of ointment bases and methods of preparation. Pastes-their bases and method of preparation. Jellies and Poultices. Gels: The structure and properties of gels; application of gels in pharmacy.
  • Suppositories and Pessaries: methods of their preparation, shapes and sizes properties of an ideal suppository base; types of suppository bases; general methods of preparation of suppositories and their packaging.
  • Solutions as dosage forms. Role of surfactants in formulations and stability of solutions.
  • Newtonian fluids. Flow characteristics of Newtonian fluids and effect of temperature. Determination of viscosity – principles of capillary tube, Redwood and falling sphere viscometers, rotational viscometers. The flow properties of disperse systems and viscosity coefficients of colloidal dispersions. Viscosity imparting agents in pharmacy.
  • Non-Newtonian fluids. Plastic, pseudoplastic and dilatant flows. Thixotropic systems. Rheological properties of suspensions, emulsions, ointments, and creams. Mechanism of fluid flow. Significance of Reynolds number. Distribution of velocities across a tube and boundary layers.
Practical Physical Pharmaceutics and Rheology (1 Unit)                                                        PTE 343
  • Experiments to cover the areas covered in the theory classes. These include Phase rule; densities of liquids and solids; surface tension measurement; viscosity measurement; diffusion; aggregate behaviour of surface active agents;
  • Volumetric and spectrophotometric determination of drug concentration; adsorption; drug partitioning; preparation of colloids; coacervation; partitioning of drugs between equilibrium liquids and coacervate phases.
  • Preparation of suspensions by precipitation, and flocculation by use of electrolytes, evaluation of suspension quality by sedimentation volume and viscosity measurements;
  • Formulation of emulsions and determination of emulsion type by dye dissolution method; formulation of creams by fusion method and evaluation by thermal stress;
  • Formulation of ointments and evaluation of their quality.
  • Experiments to demonstrate different types of viscometers and identification of different flow types
Unit Operations in Pharmacy (2 Units)                                                                       PTE 342
  • Filtration: factors affecting filtration; mechanism of filtration; filter media and aids; filtration equipment (continuous rotary vacuum filter, the filter press, and the edge filters). Mechanism of fluid flow, flow through pipes, Reynolds number and its significance
  • Centrifugation: principles of centrifugation; laboratory and large-scale centrifuges.
  • Evaporation and Drying: Heat transfer to boiling liquids, mathematical representation of heat transfer. Effect of active constituents of solution, classification, and types of evaporation. Moisture content, loss on drying, constant and falling rate periods, drying equipment, freeze dryers as examples of non-thermal dryers and reasons for drying.
  • Milling and Mixing: Application of size reduction in drug formulations, factors affecting milling. Milling equipment. Types of mixers, segregation of powder and the efficiency of mixers.
  • Extraction: Classes and types of extraction, extraction methods. Large-scale extraction and classes of extracts.
Cosmetic Science and Technology (1 Unit)                                                     PTE 346
  • Skin care products, cosmetic products
  • Cosmetic colours, preservatives, antiseptics and antioxidants used in cosmetic products
  • Interaction between the skin and cosmetic products
  • Formulation and quality assurance of cosmetic products
Practical Unit Operations in Pharmacy (1 Unit)                                                          PTE 344
  • Experiments should cover the areas taught in the theory classes. These include: Filtration, Centrifugation, Evaporation and Drying, Milling and Mixing, Extraction
Advanced Dispensing (2 units)                                                                        PTE 441
  • Ethics of practice and dispensing. Management of patient’s choices and preferences. Necessary precautions to ensure ethical dispensing operations.
  • General legal requirements for dispensing of medications and devices.
  • Good dispensing practice: the dispensing environment, pharmacist, process (SOP) and patient counseling.
  • Validity of prescriptions. Parts and types of prescriptions; interpretation and review of prescriptions, interaction with prescribers and pharmacist’s interventions on prescriptions. Patient and address verification.
  • Dispensing errors, types, and checks.
  • Packaging, repackaging and storage requirements for various products.
  • Dispensing aids and software. Reference information sources. Dispensing-related disputes and crises: managing pressures from patients and prescribers.
  • Conditions necessitating refusal to dispense prescriptions.
  • Pharmacoeconomics, psychosocial aspect of dispensing and management of returned medications. Generic dispensing and brand substitution. Brand disputes. Refill requests and detection/management of addiction. Dispensing of controlled drugs and poisons.
  • Extemporaneous preparations: their relevance, types of dosage forms, general requirements for their formulation.
  • Quality assurance in extemporaneous dispensing. Important extemporaneous dispensing mishaps. Patients with special needs, e.g., Dementia.
  • Role of language and other forms of communication.
Advanced Practical Dispensing (1 unit)                                                           PTE 443
  • Students will be made to appreciate the professional requirements in actual practice in the hospital and community pharmacy e.g., drug interaction and patient counseling.
  • Students will be oriented to dispensing ethical preparations in the hospital, appraisal of prescription and prescription patterns.
  • There will be revisions of basic dispensing in the laboratory.
  • The student will further be exposed to formulation of various types of dosage forms with emphasis on the proper use of the drug products. It will involve the compounding and dispensing of bulk and divided powders, disperse systems especially creams, lotions, and pastes, including preparation of chlorine solutions (0.5 and 0.05% w/v) and total parenteral nutrition.
  • Detection of unusual doses of drug preparations, as well as potential incompatibilities in preparations and Patients counseling in dispensing will be emphasized.
Tablet and Capsule Technology (2 Units)                                                                   PTE 442
  • Size classification. Particle shape and size. Sieving and sifting. Determination of particle size. Communition: General principles. Size distribution during communition and importance of fine particles in pharmacy. Communition machines.
  • Mixing: Definition and objective of the mixing process. The degree of mixing and de- mixing of powders.
  • Drying of solids: Different drying methods and equipment including freeze-drying.
  • Flow properties of powders. Cohesive pharmaceutical powders. Experimental methods used for measuring the “cohesiveness” of powder beds. Factors affecting the tensile strength of powders. Factors affecting the flow properties of powders.
  • Granulation and Tablet Technology: Reasons for and methods of granulation; essential granule properties. Tablet manufacture (concept of brittle fracture index as a tool); types of compressed tablets; formulation of tablets; principles of the operation of single punch and multiple (rotary) punch tablet machines; problems encountered during tablet manufacture and ways to remedy them. Solid dosage coating: types of coating materials and methods – pan, sugar, film and enteric coatings; requirement for core tablets and coating of granules; fluidized – bed and compression coating.
  • Capsules: Hard gelatin capsules materials for capsules; methods of capsule production; capsule filling; equipment and operations: formulation and finishing of capsules; soft gelatin capsules; nature of the soft gelatin shells and the capsule content.
Dosage Form Evaluation and Drug Stability (2 Units)                                                           PTE 444
  • Standard for tablets and capsules. Quality assessment tests for tablets.
  • Formulation factors affecting the dissolution rates of solid dosage form. Semi-solids. Tablets and Capsules. In-vitro dissolution tests for solid dosage forms. Natural convention: Non-sink methods such as solvometer, hanging pellet, and static disc methods. Forced convention: Non-sink methods such as wruble, beaker, oscillating tube rotating disc, sounder and Ellenbogen methods. Forced convention: Sink methods (adsorption, partition, dialysis and column methods, continuous flow through system, computerized automated systems).
  • Drug Stability. Incompatibilities in liquid dosage forms. Chemical degradation of pharmaceutical products (hydrolysis, oxidation, isomerization, polymerization, decarboxylation and adsorption of carbon dioxide); physical factors influencing chemical degradation (temperature, moisture, light and radiation): factors influencing and methods of reducing chemical degradation; physical degradation of pharmaceutical products e.g. loss of volatile constituents, loss of water, absorption of water, crystal growth, polymorphic changes and colour changes. Microbiological degradations.
  • Accelerated stability testing.
  • Metals (e.g. tin, iron and aluminum) and plastics. Solvent properties, toxicity, permeability, and light transmission characteristics.
  • Glass – mechanical strength and resistance to thermal shock. Flake and spicule formation. Paper and board. Closure testing. Folded, bung and push-on seals. Reasons for test failures.
  • Package testing.
Practical Tablet and Capsule Technology (1 unit)                                                       PTE 446

Experiments will cover the areas covered in the theory classes

Novel Drug Delivery Systems (2 units) PTE 541
  • Advances in drug delivery systems including liposomes, niosomes, bilosomes and polymeric nanoparticles.
  • Biotechnological methods for delivery of genes, vaccines, and therapeutic proteins.
  • Targeted drug delivery. Ocular, transdermal and transnasal delivery systems.
  • Other novel drug delivery systems: site- specific/targeted delivery, bioartificial organs, production of therapeutic proteins/biochemicals, gene therapy, protein/peptide delivery, liposomes, polymeric substances.
  • Design of therapeutic and diagnostic agents.
  • Applications of nanomedicines in biomedical sciences.
  • Stability of novel drug delivery systems.
  • Regulatory issues concerning novel drug delivery systems
Industrial Set-up and Formulation Processes (2 Units) PTE 542
  • Formulation and production of medicines.
  • Present state of Pharmaceutical industry in Nigeria.
  • Systematic development of Pharmaceutical industry.
  • Essential elements for setting up a viable Pharmaceutical industry including primary and auxiliary industries.
  • Materials of construction, plant design, infrastructural facilities, building specifications.
  • Production management.
  • Potential and unexplored raw materials in Nigeria for Pharmaceutical industry:
  • Pilot plant, scale up technologies for tablets, capsules, semi- solids, etc.
  • Formulation of herbal medicines into dosage forms.
  • Standardization, stability studies, microbiological evaluation, and standardization of doses.
  • Aerosol Science and Technology. Formulation of aerosols. Basic aerosol technology. Formulation techniques of different aerosol systems. Factors affecting spray characteristics of aerosols. Filling techniques and testing methods of aerosol packs.