Solid dosage

forms: Powders

K.J.KARTHIKA, 2ND YEAR P.G.SCHOLAR,

DEPARTMENT OF RASASHASTRA NAD BHAISHAJYA KALPANA
GAVC,TRIPUNITHURA

Contents
1.Definition
2.Advantages and disadvantages of powder
dosage form
3.Classification of powders
4.Pharmaceutical technology used in the
manufacturing of powders.
- Size reduction
- Particle size determination
- Mixing
- Sampling
- Packing
5.Segregation
6.Granules

Introduction

Powders were originally designed as a

convenient mode of administering hard
vegetable drugs such as roots, barks, and
woods. Powders were also found to be
convenient
for
dispensing
insoluble
chemicals such as calomel, bismuth salts,
mercury, and chalk.
In Ayurveda powder dosage forms are
considered as a separate entity under the
heading of churna kalpana

Definition
Powders are intimate mixtures of dry,
finely divided drugs and /or chemicals that
may be intended for internal or external
use.
Powder is a mixture of finely divided
drugs and/or chemicals in dry form.

Classical
definition

: (

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Advantages of
powders
Flexibility of compounding- easy to
prepare.
Good chemical stability.
Rapid dissolution due to small particle size
Fast action and better bio availability.
The availability of new filler exipients that
can act as ideal drug carriers.
Can be consumed easily by patients with
swallowing difficulties.

Disadvantage
powders

of

Time consuming.
Inaccuracy in dosage.
Unsuitable for many due to unpleasant
taste, volatile, oxidizing, hygroscopic and
deliquescent drugs.

Classification
powders.

Based
internal
external
on use

of

Powders for
external use
Dusting Powders
- Locally applied nontoxic preparations.
- No systemic effect.
- Applied as lubricants, protectives, absorbents, antiseptics,
anti pruritics, astringents and anti-perspirants).
They are of 2 types viz: Medical:
for superficial skin condition and which should not be used
in open wounds or broken skin.

Dentifrices
Agents used along with a tooth brush to clean and
polish teeth.
Douche powders
Intended to be dissolved in water and to use as
antiseptic or cleansing agent for a body cavity.

Powders for internal

use
Insufflations: powders applied as a stream of
finely divided particles into the body cavities such
as ear, nose, throat , vagina with the help of a
device known as insufflators.
oral powders

Extending
classification
Ayurveda

the
to

Churna for external use :

32 churna pradeha by charaka
Mukahalepam
Churna anjanam
Churna
for
udvartnam,
utsadanam,
avachurnanam,
avagundanam,
mukha
dharanam, pratisaranam, etc.

Churna for internal administration

Churna nasyam
Oraly administered churnam
Churna basti prayogam
Suchikabharana rasa prayoga

Bulk Powders :
They are dispensed in bulk containers .
A perforated or sifter can is used for
external dusting and an aerosol container
is used for dusting onto skin.
A widely mouthed Glass jars easily permit
removal of a spoonful of powder e.g,
antacid, laxatives, douche powders, etc

The triphala churna, jadamayadi churna,

kottam chukkadi, kolakulathadi churna,
rasnadi chura etc can be considered as
bulk powders.
Most of the Kashaya churnam and Churnas
used for dhoopanam,
prakiranam,
snanam, udvarthanam, utsadanam,etc can
also be included in this category.

Divided Powders:
Dispensed in individual doses, usually in
folded papers, metal foil; small heat sealed
or resealable plastic bags or other
containers.
After the ingredients are weighed,
comminuted, and mixed, the powders must
be accurately divided into the prescribed
number of doses.

Depending on the potency of the drug

substance the pharmacist decides whether
to weigh each portion separately before
packing or to approximate portions by the
block and divide method. (after geometric
dilution packing powder to individual unit)

The various kupipakvarasayanas, bhasma,

kshara, lavana,etc can be included among
the divided powders)

Based on particle
size:
(Particle size are related to passing
through the openings of standard sieves)
coarse particle
10 mm
Colloidal particles 1 micro meter
Very coarse
Sieve No:8
Coarse
20
Moderately coarse
40
Fine
60
Very fine
80

Various types of sieves were employed to

prepare churnas of different particle size.
Stula dravya galana chalini made of
venu and shalaka
Churna chalana vamshaja chalani
sukshmataram raja chalani with frame
made of karnikaram, shalmali,etc covered
with chaga charma and mesh made of vaji
baala.

Pharmaceutical technology
involved
in
the
manufacturing of powders.
Size
reduction(Coarse
division/Comminution of Drugs)
Sieving
Weighing of each ingredient.
Blending of powders.
Packaging of finished product.

The
definition
of
churna
as
per
Sharangadhara Samhitha clearly mention
simillar aspects.
-size reduction by pounding
-Sieving by the aid of a cloth
The other 3 criteria are followed while
preparation of multi drug formulation like
hinguvachadi, ashta churnam etc.

Step 1

Coarse
division

Cutting
Crushing
Attrition

Size
reductio
n
Comminutio
n

Trituration
Mills and
pulverizes
Levigation
Pulverization
by

Coarse division
reduces lumps
different sizes

of

drugs

into

fragments

of

Cutting
Obtaining coarse fragments eg. Using blades.
Crushing
Division of coarse fragments eg. Using mortar
and pestle
Attrition
Breaking down a substance by rubbing two
surfaces together.

Comminution of drugs
Trituration: Grinding with mortar and pestle
mostly for small scale mixing.
The efficiency of grinding or mixing operation
depends on the maximum contact between the
surfaces of head of the pestle and mortar.
If Comminution is desired, a porcelain or ceramic
mortar with a rough inner surface is preferred to a
glass mortar with a smooth working surface.

Mills and pulverizes

Levigation:
- A paste is formed by combining powders and
small amount of liquid (levigating agent) in which
the powder is insoluble.
- The levigated paste may be mixed well with
base with the help of spatula and a tile. Mineral
oil and glycerin are generally used as levigating
agent.
Pulverization by intervention:
- Size reduction using a solvent which is removed
after size reduction. Suitable for resins and
gummy substances E.g., camphor.

- Ayurveda employs methods of coarse division

and comminution according to the purpose of
powders.
- level of Comminution required for specific
purposes are mentioned in the following manner.
Yavakuta churna (kwatha preparation)
Pahala raja tulya churna ( ghreya vamana)
Anjana sadrusha churna ( Ayaskruthi)
Sukshma
churna/Susukshmam
churnam/Slakshna
churna/
rekhapurna
churna (indicating fine powder for pradhamana,
anjana, visha chikitsa, bhasma,etc)
The stardardization of such comparison are yet to

2.Particle
determination

size

Sieving method:
The particles are passed on through a series of
sieves, the portion of the particles passing
through or being with held on each sieve is
determined.
Microscopy:
Sample particles are sized through the use of
calibrated grid background.
Sedimentation rate:
Particle size determined by the terminal settling

Light energy diffraction:

By the use of laser rays the particle size is
determined.
Coulter Counter:
It determines the volume distribution of the
particles suspended in an electrolyte containing
solution.
When a particle passes through a small orifice , it
blocks the electric current, The impedance is
directly proportional to the particle volume .
It is used for calculating particle size assuming it
a spherical shape.

Gas Adsorption
-The surface area of powdered materials can be
measured by adsorption of solute from solution or
of a gas.
-This method results in the specific surface area
(area/unit mass).
-Usually, an inert gas, such as nitrogen, is
adsorbed as a monolayer and the total volume of
gas adsorbed is used to calculate the specific
surface area, which in turn provides information
on the particle size.

The particle size determination in Ayurveda

can be seen in the following context.
Rekha purnata ( bhasma pariksha)
Usage of chalani

Influence of Particle size

on various factors
Dissolution rate of the particles : Dissolution
increase with decreased particle size.
Suspendibility of the particles (Fine dispersion
0.5 to 10 micro meter)
Uniformity in the distribution of drug
substances so as to ensure dose to dose content
uniformity.

Penetrability of drug particles.(aerosols 1-5

micro metre)
Lack of grittiness of solid particles when used
in ointments and creams.(fine powders of 50 to
100micro meter may be used)

3.Mixing of powders
To obtain homogenous
several solid particles

association

of

DIFFUSION

MECHANIS
M

CONVECTION
SHEAR

MIXIN
G

SPATULATION
TRITURITION
METHODS

GEOMETRIC DILUTION
SIFTING
TUMBLING

Mechanism
Diffusion - redistribution of particles by
random vertical or horizontal motion
V-Blender (Twin Shell),(Tumble) Double Cone
Blender, Bin Blender
Convection - transfer from one location to
another
Eg.,Ribbon Blender, planetary blender,
horizontal and vertical high intensity blender.
Shear
- formation of slip planes
Motion imparted by high intensity mixers as
in fluid beds

powders
Spatulation:
- Mixing is done using a spatula and tile or sheet.
- for mixing small quantities.
- Useful for eutectic mixtures (i.e mixtures that
melt at a lower temperature than any of their
ingredients when in closed prolonged contact
with one another)
- It is not suitable for potent drugs.
-drawback: Lack of homogenous mixing.
Triturition:
- It is used to comminute and to mix powders. Eg,
A glass mortar is preferable for chemicals that
stain a porcelain or ceramic surfaces as well as

Geometric dilution:
-used when potent substances must be mixed
with a large amount of diluents.
-The potent drug and an approximately equal
volume of diluent are placed in a mortar and
thoroughly mixed by trituration.
A second portion of the diluent, equal in volume
to the powder mixture in the mortar is added, and
trituration is repeated. The process is continued;
equal volumes of diluents are added to the
powder mixture in the mortar until all the diluents
is incorporated.

Sifting:
-Powders are mixed by passing them through
sifters similar to those used to sift flour.
-This process results in light fluffy product.
- not usually acceptable for incorporating potent
drugs into a diluents base.
-Usually employed as a pre or post mixing
method to reduce loosely held agglomerates and
to increase the overall effectiveness of blending
process.
Tumbling:
- It is the process of mixing powders in a large
container rotated by a motorized process.
- widely used in industry, as are large volume
powder mixers that use motorized blades to

Factors
influencing
mixing/ Blending
Blender Volume
Blend times for pharmaceuticals: typically 10-20
minutes.
Nature of material: particle size, shape, charge
and proportion.

The ideal mixer should :produce a complete blend rapidly to avoid

product damage.
Should be cleaned and discharged easily.
Dust tight
Low maintenance and power consumption.

Characteristics for an ideal bulk

excipient:Excellent flowability
High physical stability
Content uniformity.
Specific morphology to prevent segregation.
Chemical stability
Low hygroscopicity
Pleasant taste
Suitability for all patients
Economical to manufacture
Directly compressible
Eg for exipients are : Magnesium stearate,
PEG6000, Calcium stearate, etc

-The modern pharmacy has incorporated expients

to increase the bulk of powders as well as to
render a target specific action for the same.
-In Ayurveda we have incorporated anupanam to
render target specific drug action.

(..-)

Just as oil spreads quickly on water so also
medicines spread inside the body by the strength
of the vehicle.

4,Sampling:
-To check the blend uniformity.
-Samples are collected from various portions of
the blenders and then they are analyzed to
assess the uniformity of blending.
- Usually HPTLC analysis is done to screen the
samples.

Sampling locations in
blenders

Powders.
Papers use to pack powders
The four basic types of papers used are:Vegetable parchment: a thin, semi opaque
moisture resistant paper.
White bond : opaque , no moisture resistant
properties.
Glassine: Glazed transparent and moisture
resistant.
Waxed paper: Transparent and water proof.
- e.g., The hygroscopic and volatile drugs are
best protected with waxed paper that is double

BOND PAPER

GLASSINE
VEGETABLE
WAX
PAPER PARCHMENT

Glass jars are preferred for hygroscopic,

deliquescent or volatile powders than paste board
containers.
Amber or green glass for light sensitive
components. They must be kept tightly closed.
Products for external use must be labeled
indicating external use only.

Pouch packing with machines is widely

accepted in industries

In Classics, storage of finished products can be

done in containers of:- Venu
- Vriksha
- Sringa
- Danta
- shankha
- ,kacha
- Mrut
.

Segregation(Demixin
g of components)
Occurs during blending, transport, storage or
discharge.
Greater with free-flowing powders since they
can separate easily (based on size, shape, and
density)
Overcome by
Minimizing physical differences
Increasing cohesiveness of formulation
Optimizing blending conditions.

packing of powders
Volatile substances :volatilization prevented
by using heat sealed plastic bags or double
wrapping with glassine or waxed paper inside
white bond.
When liquids are incorporated into divided
powder then Magnesium carbonate, starch, or
lactose can be added to increase the
absorbability of the powders by increasing the
surface area.
When the liquid is a solvent for nonvolatile heat
stable compound,It is evaporated gently in a
water bath. Some fluid extracts and tinctures are

Hygroscopic and deliquescent substances:

-They can be prepared as divided powders by
adding inert diluents/ absorbents.
-Double wrapping is desirable.
- They are mostly prepared as granules to
minimize the surface area.
Eutectic mixtures:
-use of inert diluents/ absorbent like magnesium
carbonate,
kaolin,
starch,
lactose,
light
magnesium oxide.
- They can be dispensed as separate sets of
powders and labeled with suitable direction.

Efflorescent
substances:
(Crystalline
substance liberates water of crystallization due to
change in humidity) caffeine, sodium carbonate,
sodium
phosphates
etc.
They
must
be
incorporated as anhydrous salts
When oxidizing and reducing agents are
mixed together in a mortar there are chances of
explosion.eg. Potassium chlorate and tannic acid.
They must be separately powdered and
dispensed.

Granules

-Agglomerates of powders
-Used as such as a dosage form or to prepare
tablets. Eg, effervescent granules mask the
unpleasant taste of drugs.
- They fall within 4-12 sieve size.Those passing
through 12 to 20 sieve are used for tablet making
Advantages of granules over powders.
Free flowing
More stable
Better dose measurements
Used in the manufacture of tablets and capsules.

Granules are prepared by

Dry method:
Powder passed through a roller compactor and
granulated in a granulator.
Wet method:
Moisten the powder or mixture and pass through
desired sieve.

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