The chemical formulation of water is H2O.
Formulation is the act and consequence of formulating . This verb ( formular ), meanwhile, refers to expressing a proposition, a complaint or another message in precise terms .
If we focus on chemistry and mathematics , formulating means representing a composition or a relationship using symbols or signs . This process is called formulation.
How a formulation is developed
For formulation, the components are combined in the structure indicated by a formula . Let's take the case of chemical formulation : in this framework, the elements of a compound are represented by indicating the number of atoms in a molecule or the proportion in which they appear.
The chemical formula for water , for example, is H2O . This is the result of the atom-centered formulation of each molecule: water molecules contain two hydrogen atoms ( H2 ) and one oxygen atom ( O ).
In the field of pharmacy, formulation consists of the combination of different chemical substances to produce a medicine.
The concept in the pharmacy
In the field of pharmacy , formulation refers to the combination of various chemical substances for the production of a medicine . Sometimes, formulation is also linked to the dosage of the product.
Pharmaceutical formulation involves researching the drug to determine whether it is stable and suitable for patients. In a previous stage, the excipients that have to be used in combination with the active ingredient to optimize the results are studied.
The route of pharmacological administration
Depending on the route of pharmacological administration, the formulation has different characteristics. Medications can reach the patient as capsules , tablets , syrups , drops or gels , to mention a few possibilities. Each alternative seeks to ensure effectiveness and safety .
The concept of the route of administration is far from being a mere property or secondary characteristic of the drug, but rather it is one of the most important points to study before prescribing it to a patient, in order to achieve the best results and overcome different obstacles, such as lack of mobility or swallowing problems.
Enteral or parenteral formulation
In this context, we must discuss enteral and parenteral formulations, which are directly related to the two main types of nutrition : enteral , which is administered into the digestive system, either by mouth (orally) or directly into the gastric tract (through a tube); parenteral , which is administered through a vein. This last resource is used for abnormal cases in which there are problems using the mouth or the patient needs more energy than he can acquire through his normal diet.
Enteral formulations are those that usually result in a medicine in the form of capsules or tablets. The active substance, which we usually call the drug , has to be soluble in aqueous solution and issues such as particle size and crystalline form must be taken into account, since these are directly linked to the speed of dissolution. Note that a fast dissolution is not always convenient, because it can reduce the duration of the effects or cause high plasma levels in the first moments.
The tablet , as mentioned above, is one of the forms in which enteral formulation drugs are administered. Its general characteristics are usually the following: the active substance is present in a percentage ranging from 5 to 10; around 80 percent is used for disintegrants, fillers, glidants, binders and lubricants; the remaining percentage, which is around 10, is used to ensure the disaggregation, dissolution and disintegration of the product in the body.
Parenteral formulations are also known as injectable formulations and are administered intra-articularly, intramuscularly, intravenously or subcutaneously. In this case, the drug is stored in an unstable or liquid form, taking into account the ambient temperature.