Dr.

Aneela Amin
Pharm. D., M. Phil.
Lecturer
Shifa Tameer-e-Millat University, Islamabad

Ref: Pharmaceutical compounding and dispensing By Chris Langley,

Dawn Belcher
Learning Objectives
 Definition
 Reasons for formulation of Suspension
 Properties of Good Suspension
 Classification of suspensions.
 Flocculated and De-Flocculated System.
 Caking in suspensions, its prevention
 Formulation Methods for Suspension
 Packaging, labelling and storage of Suspensions
 Definition
Oral suspensions are oral liquids containing one or
more active ingredients suspended in a suitable
vehicle.

Suspended solids may slowly separate on standing

but are easily redispersed.
 Reasons for formulation of
Suspension
 If patient has a difficulty of swallowing solid dosage
forms (a need for oral liquid dosage form).
 Faster rate of dissolution and oral absorption than solid
dosage forms, yet slower than solutions.
 Drugs that have very low solubility are usefully
formulated as suspensions.
 Drugs that have an unpleasant taste in their soluble
forms (e.g., chloramphenicol (soluble) vs.
chloramphenicol palmitate (insoluble )).
 Properties of Good Suspension
 Suspension should settle slowly & should be readily
redispersed upon shaking of the container.

 The suspension is pourable.

 Particles in suspension are small and relatively uniform

in size. so that the product is free from a gritty texture.
 Classification
 Based on General class
 → Oral Suspension
 e.g. Paracetamol Suspension
 → Externally Applied suspension
 e.g. Calamine lotion
 → Parenteral Suspension
 e.g. Insulin zinc suspension
 Classification
Based on proportion of Solid Particles:

 Dilute Suspension (2 to 10% w/v solid)

e.g. cortisone acetate, predinsolone acetate

 Concentrated Suspension (50% w/v solid)

e.g. Zinc oxide suspension
 Classification
Based on Size of Particle
 Coarse Suspension (> 1 micron)
 Suspensions having particle sizes of greater than about
1micron in diameter are called as coarse suspensions.
 Colloidal Suspension (< 1 micron)
 Suspensions having particle sizes of suspended solid less
than about 1micron in size are called as colloidal
suspensions.
 Nano suspensions
 Size of the drug particles is 10ng
 Classification
Based on electrokinetic nature of Solid particle:

 Flocculated Suspension

 Deflocculated Suspension
Flocculated System
 In flocculated system the individual particle are
contact with each other to form loose aggregate &
create network like structure.
 Rate of sedimentation is high.
 Sediment is loosely packed. When shaking it can be
redisperse easily & reform the original suspension.
 Flocculated suspensions not be elegant because they
are difficult to remove from bottles or vials & on
transferring from the bottle the floccules remaining
sticking to the side of the bottle.
De-Flocculated System
 In deflocculated system the individual particle are
exist as separate entities.
 Rate of sedimentation is low.
 Sediment is tightly packed. When shaking it cannot be
redisperse easily & form the cake.
 Deflocculated suspensions be elegant. They have
pleasing appearance because the substance remain
suspended for sufficient long time.
Cacking in Suspension
 It is defined as the formation of a non-redispersible
sediment within a suspension system.

 CAUSES: Crystal bridging & closed aggregate in

formulation.

 In crystal bridging, particle surface crystal growth

occurs on two or more particles simultaneously in the
steady formation.
 Causes of Cake Formation
 Small changes in temperature that occurs during shelf
storage lead to unexpectedly rapid caking via crystal
bridging.

 A sedimented, highly coagulate suspension tends to form

large coagules as the surface films present on coagulated
particle causes the filmed particles to cling to each other.
 Structured Vehicle
 Structured vehicle also called as thickening agent or
suspending agent.
 They increases the viscosity of the continuous phase so that
the particles remain suspended for a sufficient long time.
 These structured vehicles entrapped the particle and
reduces the sedimentation of particles.
 The semi-synthetic structured vehicles are widely used.
 E.g. methyl cellulose, CMC, hydroxypropyl methyl
cellulose etc.
 Clays such as hydrated aluminium silicate or magnesium
silicate also used as thickening agent.
Types of suspending agents:
A. Polysaccharides.
 The official suspending agents were natural
polysaccharides but nowadays semi synthetic compounds
are increasingly used.
 Following are some examples of it: Acacia,
Tragacanth,Starch, Alginates, Xanthamn gums.
B. Inorganic salts.
Clay, Bentonite, Aluminum magnesium silicate, Aluminum
hydroxide.
C. Synthetic compounds.
Carbomers (carboxypolymethylene).
Colloidal silicon dioxide(aerosil).
 Wetting Agent
 Wetting agent or substance which reduce the interfacial
tension between the solid particle & liquid phase.
 It is adsorbed at the solid/liquid interface, in such way that
the affinity of the particles for the surrounding medium is
increased & interparticular forces are decreased.
 The particles, even high density, float on the surface of the
liquid until the layer of air is displaced completely.
 The use of wetting agent allows removing this air from the
surface and to easy penetration of the vehicle into the
pores.
 e.g. alcohol in tragacanth mucilage, glycerine or glycol in
sodium alginate etc.
 Excessive amount wetting agent lead to foaming or
undesirable taste or odour to suspension.
 Flocculating agent or surfactant
 Flocculating agent or surfactant are reduces the interfacial
tension.
 They act like, surfactant with negative charge are adsorbed
on the particles, minimise flocculation in the presence of
positive ions because of natural repulsion of like charge.
 e.g. of negative charge surfactant sodium lauryl sulphate,
sodium dioctyl sulphocinate etc.
 Non-ionic surfactant also have negative charge surfactant in
solution.
 Tweens, carbowaxses are frequently used.
 Dispersing Agent
 Some particles have not sufficient surface energy, so that
particles come together & forms large particle.
 To overcome that difficulty the substance may be
introduced in the suspension & those called dispersing
agent.
 These substance increase the zeta potential & do not allow
the particles to come together to form large particles.
 They also act as stabiliser in suspension.
 e.g. glyceryl monostearate, polyoxethylene glycol, sorbitan
etc.
 Preservatives Used in Suspension
 It should effective against wide range of microorganisms.

 It should be physically & chemically stable.

 It should be non-toxic & compatible with other added

substance.

 e.g. benzoic acid, sodium benzoate, methyl & propyl

paraben.
Formulation Methods for
Suspension
 Suspension Containing Diffusible Solids

 Suspension Containing Indiffusible Solids

 Suspension Containing Poorly Wettable Solids

 Suspension Produced by Chemical Reaction

 1. Suspensions Containing
Diffusible Solids
 Some insoluble solids are light & easily wettable.
 On that reason, they readily mix with water & on shaking,
diffuse through the liquid for long enough to ensure even
distribution in each dose.
 Such substance are known as diffusible or dispersible solids.
 List of diffusible solids commonly used in oral preparations
 Calcium Carbonate..antacid
 Light Kaolin…treat diarrhea
 Magnesium Trisilicate…antacid
 Rhubarb Powder…digestive problems
 Method For Preparation
 Finely powder
 Take insoluble powder in a mortar.
 Add sufficient vehicle to produce smooth paste.
 Add any non-volatile solid ingredients in part of the
vehicle, and mix well.
 Add any volatile solid ingredients, previously dissolved
in some of the vehicle & mix well.
 Add any liquid ingredients.
 Method For Preparation
 Rinse the mortar & pestle with successive volume of
vehicle until they are quiet clean, transferring the rinsing
to the bottle.
 Make up to the volume with vehicle & shake thoroughly.
 2. Suspension Containing
Indiffusible Solids

 Indiffusible particles will not distributed in a

vehicle long enough.

 So that the correcting this problem is to increases

the viscosity of the vehicle by adding a thickening
agent.
2. Suspension Containing Indiffusible
Solids
Used Internally Indiffusible solids
 Aspirin..fever & pain
 Chalk..antacid
 Phenobarbiton..sedative
 Sulphadimidine…chalmydia
Used Externally Indiffusible solids
 Calamine..pain & itching
 Hydrocortisone..inflammation
 Sulphur..antibacterial
 Zinc oxide..irritation
Method For Preparation
 Finely powder the Indiffusible solid particles take
in a mortar.
 Add any diffusible or soluble solids.
 Add tragacanth powder or mucilage & mix
thoroughly.
 If only Indiffusible substance is to be incorporated,
mix it with tragacanth powder in a mortar.
 Add sufficient vehicle to produce smooth cream.
 Then add more vehicle to make up the final
volume.
 3. Suspensions Containing Poorly
Wettable Solids
 Some substance e.g. sulphur & hydrocortisone are both
insoluble in water & poorly wetted by it.
 They produce clumps & it is difficult to disperse in aqueous
liquids.
 Add satisfactory wetting agent, that will reduce the
interfacial energy between the solid & liquid.
 These agent adsorbed at the solid/liquid interface in such a
way that the affinity of the particles for the surrounding
medium is increased, while the interparticular forces are
decreased.
 e.g. alcohol in tragacanth mucilage, glycerin & glycol in
sodium alginate, Quillaia extracts have been used in sulphur
lotion etc.
 4. Suspension Produced by
chemical Reaction
 Chemical reaction method are used to produce insoluble
active constituents in the lotion.
 In that method highly diluted solutions of reacting substance
are mixed together.
 So as to form very finely divided precipitates that can be
easily distributed throughout the liquid on shaking.
 Precipitates so formed are generally diffusible in nature
therefore no need any suspending agent.
 Zinc sulphide lotion B.P.C produced by this method.
 Packaging of Suspensions
 Pharmaceutical suspensions for oral use are generally
packed in wide mouth container having adequate
space above the liquid to ensure proper mixing.

 Parenteral suspensions are packed in either glass ampoules

or vials.
Ideal Requirements of Packaging
material
 It should be inert.

 It should effectively preserve the product from

light, air, and other contamination.

 It should effectively deliver the product without

any difficulty.

 It should be cheap.
Labelling Requirements
 Shake well before use

 Do not freeze

 Protect from direct light(for light sensitive drugs)

 In case of dry suspensions powder the specified

amount of vehicle to be mixed may indicated
clearly on label.
Storage Requirements
 Suspensions should be stored in cool place but should
not be kept in a refrigerator.

 Freezing at very low temperatures should be avoided

which may lead to aggregation of suspended particles.

 Stored at controlled temperature from 20-25°C.

 You have been given the following prescription:
‘Paracetamol suspension 2 g po qds’. In the
dispensary you have a suspension that contains 120
mg of paracetamol in each 5 ml spoonful. How much
suspension would you need to dispense, to the
nearest 100 ml, for a 2-week supply?