D.Pharm · Year 3
Pharmaceutics II
Advanced dosage forms, tablets, capsules, biphasic systems, semisolids, parenterals, ophthalmic products, aerosols, and pharmaceutical quality assurance.
Units & topics
Open a unit to explore its syllabus and start focused practice.
1Oral Solid Dosage Forms (Tablets & Capsules)10 topics · 25 marks
Classification, excipients, granulation, compression defects, coating techniques, and capsule formulation.
- Classification and formulation of tablets
- Tablet excipients (diluents, binders, disintegrants, lubricants, glidants)
- Granulation techniques (wet, dry, direct compression)
- Tablet compression machines and tooling
- Tablet compression defects (capping, lamination, sticking, picking, mottling, chipping)
- Tablet coating processes (sugar coating, film coating, enteric coating)
- Evaluation of tablets (hardness, friability, disintegration, dissolution, weight variation)
- Hard gelatin capsules (composition, shell manufacturing, sizes 000 to 5, filling)
- Soft gelatin capsules (composition, plasticizers, rotary die process)
- Quality control and stability of capsules
2Biphasic Products & Semisolids7 topics · 18 marks
Formulation and physical stability of emulsions, suspensions, ointments, creams, pastes, and gels.
- Suspensions: flocculated vs deflocculated systems, sedimentation volume
- Suspending agents and formulation of pharmaceutical suspensions
- Emulsions: theories of emulsification, identification tests (dye, dilution, conductivity)
- Emulsifying agents (natural, synthetic, semi-synthetic, HLB value)
- Physical instabilities in emulsions (creaming, cracking, phase inversion, coalescence)
- Semisolid dosage forms: classification and properties of ointment bases
- Formulation and evaluation of ointments, creams, pastes, and gels
3Packaging of Pharmaceutical Dosage Forms7 topics · 10 marks
Primary, secondary and tertiary packaging materials, glass, plastics, metals, closures, blister/strip packs.
- Functions and classification of packaging (primary, secondary, tertiary)
- Glass containers: types of glass (Type I, II, III, NP) and hydrolytic resistance test
- Plastic containers: polymers (polyethylene, polypropylene, PVC, PET), advantages and hazards
- Metals (aluminum, tin) and collapsible tubes
- Rubber closures: composition, coring, compatibility testing
- Blister packaging, strip packaging, and child-resistant closures
- Quality control tests for packaging materials
4Pharmaceutical Aerosols & Inhalation Therapy6 topics · 10 marks
Components, propellants, valves, MDIs, DPIs, and nebulizers for pulmonary delivery.
- Definition, advantages, and limitations of aerosol drug delivery
- Propellants: liquefied gases (CFCs, HFAs) and compressed gases
- Aerosol containers and valve assembly (metered dose valves, actuators)
- Formulation of pharmaceutical aerosols (solutions, suspensions, emulsions)
- Metered Dose Inhalers (MDIs), Dry Powder Inhalers (DPIs), and Nebulizers
- Quality control and evaluation of aerosols (leak test, flame extension, discharge rate)
5Parenteral Preparations & Sterile Products8 topics · 22 marks
Small & large volume parenterals, vehicles, cleanrooms, pyrogen testing, and sterility testing.
- Definition, routes of parenteral administration, advantages and disadvantages
- Small Volume Parenterals (SVP) vs Large Volume Parenterals (LVP / IV fluids)
- Aqueous vehicles (WFI, Sterile WFI, Bacteriostatic WFI) and non-aqueous vehicles
- Cleanroom classification, HEPA filtration, laminar airflow benches, aseptic processing
- Formulation additives: antioxidants, antimicrobial preservatives, buffers, tonicity adjusters
- Sterility testing methods (membrane filtration and direct inoculation)
- Pyrogen testing: Rabbit pyrogen test and Bacterial Endotoxin Test (LAL test)
- Particulate inspection and container closure integrity
6Biological Products & Cold Chain Management5 topics · 10 marks
Vaccines, toxoids, sera, immunoglobulins, storage standards, and cold chain maintenance.
- Classification of biologicals: live attenuated, inactivated vaccines, toxoids, antisera
- Manufacturing principles and storage of immunological products
- National immunization cold chain requirements in Nepal (2°C to 8°C)
- Vaccine Vial Monitor (VVM) stages and usability guidelines
- Adverse events following immunization (AEFI) awareness
7Dispensing Pharmacy & Incompatibilities7 topics · 15 marks
Prescriptions, Latin terminology, pediatric dose calculations, and pharmaceutical incompatibilities.
- Parts of a medical prescription and legal dispensing responsibilities
- Official Latin terms, pharmaceutical abbreviations, and directions
- Posology and pediatric dose calculations (Young's rule, Dilling's rule, Clark's rule, Fried's rule)
- Physical incompatibilities (liquefaction, immiscibility, insolubility) and remedies
- Chemical incompatibilities (precipitation, gas evolution, oxidation) and remedies
- Therapeutic incompatibilities (drug interactions, contraindications, synergistic toxicity)
- Labelling requirements and patient cautionary advisories
8Suppositories & Pessaries6 topics · 8 marks
Types, suppository bases, displacement value, fusion moulding, and quality evaluation.
- Types of suppositories (rectal suppositories, vaginal pessaries, urethral bougies)
- Ideal suppository bases: fatty bases (theobroma oil/cocoa butter), hydrophilic bases (PEG, glycerogelatin)
- Polymorphism of theobroma oil (alpha, beta, gamma forms)
- Displacement value: concept, practical calculation, and significance
- Manufacturing by fusion moulding and lubrication of moulds
- Quality evaluation: breaking test, melting range, liquefaction time
9Ophthalmic Preparations6 topics · 8 marks
Eye drops, eye lotions, eye ointments, tonicity calculation, buffers, and preservation.
- Physiological factors and essential requirements of ophthalmic products (sterility, tonicity, clarity)
- Isotonicity calculation: sodium chloride equivalent and freezing point depression methods
- Ophthalmic preservatives (benzalkonium chloride, chlorobutanol, thiomersal)
- Viscosity increasing agents (HPMC, methylcellulose, polyvinyl alcohol)
- Formulation and filling of sterile eye drops and eye ointments
- Packaging and in-use stability of multi-dose ophthalmic containers
10Quality Assurance & Good Manufacturing Practice6 topics · 10 marks
QA vs QC, WHO-GMP guidelines, SOPs, validation, and stability testing.
- Definitions and functional differences between QA and QC
- Core principles of Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP / WHO-GMP)
- Documentation, Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), and Batch Manufacturing Records (BMR)
- In-process quality control (IPQC) for solid and liquid manufacturing
- Validation: process validation, equipment qualification (DQ, IQ, OQ, PQ)
- ICH stability testing: climatic zones, real-time vs accelerated stability testing
11Surgical Devices, Dressings & Medical Appliances5 topics · 4 marks
Sutures, ligatures, wound dressings, bandages, catheters, IV sets, and syringes.
- Surgical sutures and ligatures: absorbable (catgut, synthetic polyglycolic acid) vs non-absorbable (silk, nylon)
- Primary wound dressings, absorbent cotton wool, surgical gauze, bandages
- Plaster of Paris and adhesive surgical tapes
- Cannulas, urinary catheters, IV administration sets, and hypodermic syringes
- Sterilization methods and regulatory quality standards for surgical appliances