Medicine, liquid

Accidental overdoses were especially common. Of 576 cases of atropine intoxication, almost half were due to oral ingestion of plant material, particularly by children below the age of five. Opthalmological, liquid medicinal, parenteral and percutaneous overdoses made up the remainder. Significant differences in the source of the drug occurred among age groups, however. Individuals above the age of 61, for example, were inclined to encounter overdosage from eye drops or medicinal plasters. 

Eli Lilly founds a pharmaceutical company under his own name that pioneers a gelatin capsule to hold medicine and fruit flavoring for liquid medicine. The company later became successful in the discovery of new drugs and quality control in manufacturing. 

Liquid medicines generally include oral liquids, suspensions, emulsions, inhalations, nasal solutions and suspensions, topical semisolids and topical liquids, ophthalmics, and parenterals. There are numerous excipients used for liquid... 

Table 6.1. Commonly Used Excipients in Liquid Medicines...

Further, they can be used for medical purposes, such as press-through packages, disposable syringes, liquid medicine vials, and infusion bags. They are suitable for electric or electronic materials, such as wire coating. In addition, packaging films, such as wrapping films, stretch films, shrink films, and blister packs can be produced. 

Disulfiram is an aversive therapy that works by inhibiting acetaldehyde dehydrogenase. Interactions between disulfiram and alcohol can result in potentially severe reactions, such as myocardial infarction, congestive heart failure, respiratory depression and death. Patients taking disulfiram should be warned of the possible presence of alcohol in liquid medicines, tonics, foods and even in toiletries and mouthwashes. Patient adherence to disulfiram is poor and there is a lack of strong evidence for its effectiveness, thus it is not routinely recommended. 

Combined use of carbamazepine suspension A/ith liquid formulations of chlorpromazine has been shown to result in excretion of an orange rubbery precipitate because of this, combined use of carbamazepine suspension with any liquid medicine is not recommended... 

Wolknann H, Gruenert R. Influence of visible light on stability of isoprenaline, epinephrine and levarterenol solutions in different containers. Part 86 contributions about the problem concerning the use of plastic containers for liquid medicinal preparations. Part 21 stability of pharmaceuticals and preparations. Pharmazie 1984 39(3) 161-163. 

Draughts. Draughts are liquid medicines usually prepared to be taken in a single dose or draught. Draughts are also known as potions. ... 

Gargles A gargle is a liquid medicine intended to be retained in the mouth and placed in contact with the back of the throat by throwing back the head and agitated by air released from the larynx. ... 

Paints, medicinal Liquid medicinal preparations possessing antiseptic, caustic, soothing, or stimulating properties, usually applied by means of a brush. Paints intended to remain in contact with a specified surface are usually prepared with collodion, glycerin, glycerin and water, egg albumin in alcohol, or gutta percha. Paints intended to be absorbed are prepared with oleic acid or fatty oils. Caustic substances are usually applied dissolved in distilled water, alcohol, or ethereal vehicles, whereas resinous substances, such as benzoin. 

The bulk viscosity of polymer solution is an important parameter also when polymers are being used as suspending agents to maintain solid particles in suspension by prevention of settling (see Chapter 7) and when they are used to modify the properties of liquid medicines for oral and topical use. 

There are various types of liquid medicines including ... 

Lokken P, Birkeland JM, Sannes E. pH changes in dental plaque caused by sweetened, iron-containing liquid medicine. Scand J Dent Res 1975 83(5) 279-283. 

A simple explanation or demonstration of how to measure liquid medicines would prevent dosing problems. When using instruments such as oral syringes, remind the client and family members to remove the cap in order to prevent injury from swallowing it (Kurtzweil, 1994). 

Oral liquid medicines may be a good choice of dosage form for patients who have problems with swallowing tablets and capsules, or if they have an enteral feeding tube, or for whom the required dose does not fit with the available tablet(s) or capsule(s) such as is often the case with children and elderly people. A liquid dosage form is easy to measure and administer. 

The interaction between PVC and liquid medicines has been studied extensively [20]. 

The British Pharmacopoeia [2] gives requirements for the dissolution rate of oral suspensions in the general monograph for Unlicensed Medicines . These quality requirements are similar to the advice of the Ph. Eur. for capsules and tablets. The dissolution rate of an oral suspension, being prepared in pharmacies for instance for patients with swallowing problems or for children, and how it compares to the comparable licensed oral dosage form, is an important consideration when designing such liquid medicines. 

There is little benefit in using a tube larger than 12 Fr if the device is conscientiously flushed after every use and liquid medicine preparations are used instead of crushed tablets. A growing number of drugs are specifically manufactured for use through feeding tubes. 

An apparatus has been designed to produce oxygen-ozone mixture for sterilization of milk, diary products, wines, butter and liquid medicines. The experimental set-up is deseribed in detail in a patent [279]. The quality of wine, beer and liquor is improved after exposure to ozone. Ozone levels of 0.01 ppm and rates of 11/min are employed in the pharmaceutical industry and food processing industry. Ozone has been employed fro cleaning dialyzers [316] and contact lens [317]. 

Food industry applications are confectionery, baking, fruit processing, composed foods, alcoholic beverages, soft drinks.The per-capita consumption of g in the USA (1997/98) was 9.4 kg. Pharmaceutical industry applications are medicated confectioneries, carriers and soft sweeteners for liquid medicines, coatings and binders for pills. The world production of g. in x 10 mt (1997/98) was 9.4 (USA 5.85, EU 1.9, Japan 0.85, others 0.8). There is generally a rising trend, caused by nonfood uses, mainly for antibiotics and chemicals via biotechnology. 

---