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Ointment
An ointment is a homogeneous, viscous, semi-solid preparation, most commonly a greasy, thick oil (oil 80% - water 20%) with a high viscosity, that is intended for external application to the skin or mucous membranes. They are used as emollients or for the application of active ingredients to the skin for protective, therapeutic, or prophylactic purposes and where a degree of occlusion is desired. Ointments are used topically on a variety of body surfaces. These include the skin and the mucous membranes of the eye (an eye ointment), vagina, anus, and nose. An ointment may or may not be medicated. Ointments are usually very moisturizing, and good for dry skin. They have a low risk of sensitization due to having few ingredients beyond the base oil or fat, and low irritation risk. There is typically little variability between brands of generics and name brand drugs. They are often disliked by patients due to greasiness
Ointment bases
The vehicle of an ointment is known as the ointment base. The choice of a base depends upon the clinical indication for the ointment. The different types of ointment bases are:
Hydrocarbon bases, e.g. hard paraffin, soft paraffin, microcrystalline wax and ceresine Absorption bases, e.g. wool fat, beeswax Water soluble bases, e.g. macrogols 200, 300, 400 Emulsifying bases, e.g. emulsifying wax, cetrimide Vegetable oils, e.g. olive oil, coconut oil, sesame oil, almond oil and peanut oil.
The medicaments are dispersed in the base, and later they get divided after the drug penetration into the living cells of skin. Ointments are formulated using hydrophobic, hydrophilic, or water-emulsifying bases to provide preparations that are immiscible, miscible, or emulsifiable with skin secretions. They can also be derived from hydrocarbon (fatty), absorption, water-removable, or water-soluble bases.
Ointment
IDEAL OINTMENT BASE Ideal ointment base should have following physicochemical properties: 1. Stability 2. Neutral in reaction 3. Non greasy 4. Non degreasing 5. Non irritating 6. Nondehydrating 7. Non hygroscopic 8. Water removable 9. Compatible with all medicaments 10. Free from odors
Ointment Properties
Nonstaining Efficient on all skin type Composed of readily available component of known chemical composition Capable of holding 50% of water Easily compounded Melting & softening at body temperature smoothness ease of application Suitable base Properly distributed medicament CLASSIFICATION OF OINTMENT ACCORDING TO PENETRATION: 1.EPIDEMIC OINTMENT : Slight penetration power Therapeutic effect on diseased epithelium e.g,petrolatum,waxes and 1+2. 2.ENDODERMIC OINTMENT: Power of deeper penetration e.g,vegi oils,lards,lanolin and 1+2+3 3.DIADERMIC OINTMENT: Penetrate skin effectively. better absorption e.g., emulsion type & water soluble.
Ointment
Evaluation of ointments
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Drug content Release of medicament from base Medicament penetration Consistency of the preparation Absorption of medicament into blood stream Irritant effect
Ointment
If the product has liquid paraffin or a fixed oil, small amount can be used to levigate powder before adding to base to produce a smoother product. METHOD OF PREPARATION MIXING BY TRITURATION : This is applicable when medicament is a solid insoluble in base or a liquid present in small amount. Solids should be finely powdered and passed via sieve. (250 um/180 um/125 um mesh). Trituration can be carried out with an ointment tile and a spatula or using mortar and pestle.
Tiles should be large enough to prepare ointments. Spatula should be flexible and have a broad, non-tapering long blade, to provide a large rubbing surface. Another small spatula may be used for removing accumulated material. Powders for incorporation are placed on the tile and mixed gently. Powders are levigated until mixture is smooth and homogenous. Dispersion is then diluted with increasing amounts of base, doubling the quantity on each addition. Finally any liquid ingredients are incorporated, avoiding splashes.