Pharmaceutics Calculation Problems

[Nunudada]

Hi,

Can anyone help me solve this calculation please, here it is :


A prescription is received for Calciferol soultion 0.5mls daily. This has to be formulater as an emulsion.
Acacia Gum is to be used as the emulgent. Tailor the dose so that for the patient's convenience, 5ml doses are taken.

Calculate the quantities for the following formula which is to be used to prepare the emulsin:
(a) Calciferol Oil
(b) Arachis Oil
(c) Glycerin 6mls
(d) Acacia gum
(e) Water to


I have no idea from were to start. I have just started a course of pharmacy technicians and would like some help on how to work this calculation out. The only think I can think of is that Calciferol is a fixed oil, but I dont know who to work it out. Can someone help me please,
I thank you in advance,
Regards,
Nunudada

[framesh1ft]

wow tough question...what does the pharmacist do??


Start by making a gel with the acacia, using as much water as needed to obtain a thick, yet consistent gel (the ph of the water may need to be adjusted with citric acid). Use about 20 mls of the gel to it add the 6 mls of glycerol and 61 mls of peanut oil to which was added 10 mL of calciferol. Add additional water (or ethyl alcohol) with stiring to achieve a volume of 100 mLs. This yields 20 doses.

[framesh1ft]

Id be tempted to use paregoric in place of water at the end...but that's just my ideal, the pharmacist probably wouldn't like that.

[Nunudada]

What is paregoric? So there is no calculation in it just instructions?

[framesh1ft]

Its an old patent medicine, tincture of opium with camphor, and anise. 0.4 mg morphine/ml. Added for the slight flavor and in vivo solidification property. Really the only important thing is that the actives are distributed throughout the sol* and correct as labeled. Its as much art as science beyond that. You had 6 mls of (c) listed so I started with that and added aproximately the amount of (b) to mimic a triacylglyceride. Then 10 mls of calciferol, whilst aiming for a final sol volume of 100mls.

*sol is written to mean an emulsion with ideal entropy.

[framesh1ft]

did the calculation, should be 10 ml (a) 54 ml (b) 6 ml(c) and thus about 25-30 ml of acacia gel.