Powders and

Granules
Ivory Diane C. Amancio, RPh CPh
Silliman University, Pharmacy Department
Dumaguete City, Philippines
 Rhubarb: Use for

Powder
digestive complaints
including constipation,
diarrhea, heartburn,
stomach pain,
gastrointestinal (GI)
What is a powder? bleeding, and
preparation for certain GI
A dosage form composed of a solid or mixture of diagnostic procedures.

solids reduced to a finely divided sate and intended for

internal or external use.

Historical Use:
• Use in administering drugs derived from hard
vegetables:
• Roots (rhubarb)
• Barks (cinchona)
• Woods (charcoal) Cinchona: used for
increasing appetite;
promoting the release of
digestive juices; and
Charcoal: used to assist treating bloating, fullness,
kidney function by filtering and other stomach
out undigested toxins and problems.
drugs. Use as an Antidote
Advantages of Powder as a Solid
Dosage Form
APPLICATION
 Enable to alter the quantity of medication for each dose.
 Aid in clinical studies; dose can easily be adjusted.
 For infants and young children who has difficulty in swallowing tablets

PHARMACOKINETICS
 Rapid onset of action; readily dispersed.
 Large surface area; usually requires dissolution; no more disintegration
Types of Powders
Topical
Insufflated
Hygroscopic and Deliquescent
Efflorescent
Aerosol Powders
Bulk
Divided
Topical Powders
Physicochemical Considerations:
 Uniform small particle size; not irritate when applied.
 Impalpable and free flowing; should not easily adhere to
the skin.
 Passed through No. 100 mesh sieve ; to minimize skin
irritation.
Powders for Oozing Wounds:
 Hydrophobic / water repellent powders should be
use:
 prevent water loss from the skin; won’t cake on the
oozing wounds, ex. Talc
 Highly sorptive powders; form a hard crust/cakes on
oozing wounds.

 Talc must be sterilized when applied to open wound.

Insufflated Powders
Finely divided powders intended to
applied in a body cavity, such as ears,
nose, vagina, tooth socket or throat.

Vaginal Insufflator for Silver Pectate

(1940’s)
 Used an antimicrobial
 Using an insufflator or a puffer; patient will puffs desired
quantity of powder onto the affected area of the cavity.
 Consist of Moisture activated Adherent:
 Known as Polyox (ethylene oxide polymer)
 Forms viscous mucus adhesive gel when in
contact with moisture
 Provide depot long term drug delivery.
 Hygroscopic and
Deliquescent Powders
Hygroscopic – Absorb moisture from the air
Deliquescent – absorb moisture from the air to the
extent that they are wholly or partially liquefy.

Best Approach in Compounding and Dispensing:

 Dispense ingredients in tight containers

 Include desiccant pocket/ capsule when necessary
 Store in a dry place
 Compounding Pharmacist must dilute powder with an
inert drying powder to reduce surface area exposed to
moisture.
Efflorescent Powders
A crystalline powder that contains water of hydration
or crystallization.
 Water can be liberated during exposure to low-
humidity environment.
 Powders becomes sticky or pasty until it
liquefies.

Best Approach in Compounding and

Dispensing:

 Use anhydrous salt form of the drug

 Drying bulky powders
 Use light, non compacting method in mixing
the powders.
 Aerosol Powders
Are medicated powders administered by inhalation with
the aid of dry powder inhalers (DPI’s), which deliver
micronized particles of medication in metered qualities.
2 types of packaging:
 Device metered units
 Packed in suitable container closure system
 Released by a mechanism and is mobilized into
fine dispersion upon oral inhalation of the patient.
 Pre-metered DPI’s
 Contain a previously measured amount of
formulation in individual units ( e.g., capsule,
blisters)
Physicochemical Considerations:
 Inserted into the device before use
 Mechanism designed to pierce the capsule or
 Requires deep distribution in the lungs; open the unit-dose container
medications use for asthma/bronchial disorders  allow mobilization and aerolization of the
 Particle size must be micronized powder by the patient inhaling through
 (range from 1 to 6 um in diameter) the integral mouthpiece.
How to Use the Metered
Dose Inhaler
How to use Respimat
Inhaler
How to use the Handihaler
 Bulk Powders
Example of Bulk Powders:
 Antacids (Sodium bicarbonate)
 Laxatives (psyllium)
 To be mix in water or another beverages
before swallowing
 Douches (Massengil powder)
 Dissolve in warm water for vaginal use
 Topical (anti-infectives) – bacitracin zinc &
polymyxin B
Compounding & Dispensing Considerations:
 Powder medication in bulk quantities is for non-potent drugs only. (antifungals) – tolnaftate
 Patient must be informed on the ff:  Brewer’s Yeast
 Storage
 store at rooms temp; in clean dry place; keep out of
 Contains B complex vitamins and other
reach of children and animals. nutrient supplements
 Measurement  Comes with small measuring scoop, spoon or
 Preparation other devices for measuring.
 Type of vehicle/liquid use to deliver the drug
 Divided Powders
Powders prepared through geometric dilution method;
divided into individual dosing units based on the amount to
be taken in a single time.

2 Methods in Preparing Divided Powders:

 Weighing method (potent drugs)
 Block and divide method (none potent drugs)
Block and Divide method:
1. Place entire amount of prepared powder in a flat surface:
 Porcelain or glass plate
 Pill tile
 Large sheet of paper
2. Using a spatula, make a rectangular form or square block of the powder having
uniform depth.
3. Using a spatula, cut the powder lengthwise and crosswise to delineate the
appropriate number of smaller, uniform blocks, each representing a dose or unit
of the medication.
4. Separate each block from the main block with the spatula and transfer to a
powder paper and wrap.
 Types of Paper use in
Divided Powders
Simple bond paper
 For powders with neither volatile or adversely
affected by moisture
Vegetable Parchment
 Semi opaque paper with limited moisture resistance
 Volatile components
Waxed paper
 Transparent and waterproof
 For hygroscopic and deliquescent materials
Glassine
Special Considerations in Packaging of
 Glaze transparent paper with limited moisture
Divided Powders:
resistant
Powders wrapped in waxed paper are  Volatile components
Commercially available sizes:
double wrap. And for aesthetic appeal, they 2.75’’ x 3.75’’ 3.75’’x5’’
are wrapped in a bond paper. 3’’ x 4.5’’ 4.5’’x6’’
Method of Folding Papers in
Divided Powders
Granules
What are granules?
Prepared agglomerates of smaller particles of powder.
Granule dosage form composed of dry aggregates of powder particles that may
contain 1 or more APIs.
Granules are frequently compacted into tablets or filled into capsules, with or without
additional ingredients.

2 Methods in Preparing Granules:

1. Wet Method
 Moisten the powder/powder mixture
 Resulting paste are pass through a mesh screen (4-12 mesh sieve size range)
 Placed on drying trays; dried through air or heat drying.
 Frequently moved intro drying trays to prevent from adhesion
 Fluid bed processing
 Another wet method
 Particles are place in a conical piece of equipment
 Vigorously dispersed and suspended
 Liquid excipients are sprayed
 Product are dried forming granules or pellets
What are granules?
2 Methods in Preparing Granules:

2. Dry Granulation Method

 Dry powder are pass through a
compacting machine
 Pass through a rolling compactor to
produce a fine powders.
 The surface of the roller compactor
maybe smooth or may have pocket
indentions to allow compaction of
different forms and textures.
 Powders are compacted and
granulated to uniform particle size.
Effervescent Granulated
Salt:
Granules that contains ingredients when in contact with
water, rapidly release carbon dioxide.

Components:
sodium bicarbonate
citric acid
tartaric acid

Note:
Must come in combination of Tartaric Acid and Citric Acid
Tartaric Acid alone – granules will readily lose its firmness and crumble
Citric Acid – results in sticky mixture and difficult to granulate.
Thank
you