Pure Powder Form - Definition and Uses

Pure powder form refers to a substance that is in powdered state with no added ingredients or fillers.

Pure Powder Form FAQ

What is a Pharmaceutical Powder?

What are pharmaceutical powders? A pharmaceutical powder is defined as a dry, solid substance, composed of finely divided drugs with or without excipients and intended for internal or external use. It is a solid substance in finely divided state typically obtained by crushing, grinding, or comminuting.

What is a powder used for?

Powders may also be used to describe a type of pharmaceutical preparation, that is, a medicated powder intended for internal or external use. Powders were originally found to be a convenient mode of administering drugs derived from hard vegetables such as roots (e.g., rhubarb), barks (e.g., cinchona), and woods (e.g., charcoal).

What is a bulk powder?

Bulk powders are dry, free-flowing preparations consisting of one or a mixture of finely powdered substances and intended for internal application (e.g., bulk powders for internal use) or external application (e.g., bulk powders for external use). They are supplied in bulk or large quantities and are used for less potent drugs.

Are powders a safe dosage form?

Powders are bulky and inconvenient to carry. Powders are not a suitable dosage form for the administration of drugs that are inactivated in the stomach or drugs which can cause damage to the stomach. Dispensing potent drugs requiring low doses as powders (e.g., bulk powders) may not be appropriate.

How are divided powders prepared?

Divided powders may be prepared by the pharmacist as follows. Depending on the potency of the drug substance, the pharmacist decides whether to weigh each portion of powder separately before enfolding it in a paper or to approximate each portion by using the block-and-divide method.

Can a drug be dispensed as a powder?

Powders are not the dosage form of choice for drugs with an unpleasant taste. This is because masking unpleasant tastes may be a problem with this type of preparation. Drugs that deteriorate rapidly with exposure to the atmosphere or acidic pH should not be dispensed as powders.