Lab Question on Emulsifiers

[GaPharmGirl09]

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Hi all,

I'm trying to work on my objectives for my lab. I've read the lab, my pharmaceutical book, and I've searched online, but I'm still having a little trouble with the following...
__________________________________________________________
Classify emulsifying agents by type and describe their uses, advantages, limitations:

Type: Hydrocolloid or "gum" type emulsifier (Acacia)
Uses: Preparation of extemporaneous O/W emulsions
Advantages: inexpensive, easy to handle, nontoxic
Limitations: require large quantities; subject to microbial growth (require a preservative); vegetable derivatives are generally limited to use as O/W emulsifiers

Type: Nonionic emulsifiers (Tweens and Span)
Uses: Preparation of O/W and W/O emulsions
Advantages: Do not ionize; Effective over pH range 3 to 10, Can form O/W and W/O
Disadvantages: ???
________________________________________________________________

I 'm not sure if the USES are correct. I have no idea what the DISADVANTAGES of the nonionic emuslifier.

Any help is appreciated!

 

[dgroulx]

I've always considered there to be two types of emulsions - oil in water and water in oil.

Uses: Topical or oral products, though topical are more common. Oral emulsions are kind of gross.

O/W: Droplets of oil in water. Recommended for oral products. Can be used in topical products if you don't want a greasy feeling.

W/O: Droplets of water in oil. These are typically emoillents, lubricants or protective topical products.

If you're classifying them by Emulsifier type: Acacia & Non-Ionic Surfactants (Span & Tween), then you also need to add nascent soap emulsions like lime water.

A disadvantage to Span & Tween is that they do not induce viscosity, so you'll need to add another ingredient to your recipe to keep the mixture from "creaming".

 

[Caverject]

Hi all,

I'm trying to work on my objectives for my lab. I've read the lab, my pharmaceutical book, and I've searched online, but I'm still having a little trouble with the following...
__________________________________________________________
Classify emulsifying agents by type and describe their uses, advantages, limitations:

Type: Hydrocolloid or "gum" type emulsifier (Acacia)
Uses: Preparation of extemporaneous O/W emulsions
Advantages: inexpensive, easy to handle, nontoxic
Limitations: require large quantities; subject to microbial growth (require a preservative); vegetable derivatives are generally limited to use as O/W emulsifiers

Type: Nonionic emulsifiers (Tweens and Span)
Uses: Preparation of O/W and W/O emulsions
Advantages: Do not ionize; Effective over pH range 3 to 10, Can form O/W and W/O
Disadvantages: ???
________________________________________________________________

I 'm not sure if the USES are correct. I have no idea what the DISADVANTAGES of the nonionic emuslifier.

Any help is appreciated!

Is this going to be an every week thing from you? jesus it's not that hard

 

[GaPharmGirl09]

Is this going to be an every week thing from you? jesus it's not that hard

If you find it so easy, I'm very happy for you. Unfortunately, I don't know everything. I am trying to learn. When I can't find the answer (and yes I have read my textbook and searched the internet) I ask for help.

Is it so hard to be polite to people? If you don't like my post, then ignore it. There is not need to be rude or condescending.

 

[GaPharmGirl09]

A disadvantage to Span & Tween is that they do not induce viscosity, so you'll need to add another ingredient to your recipe to keep the mixture from "creaming".

Dana,

Here's the Rx we had to make in lab...

Castor Oil 30 mL
Tween 80
Span 40 aa qs 5 %
Flavored Syrup qs 60 mL

Of course we threw our products away as soon as we made it so I don't know if creaming would have been a problem. Do you know what type of ingredient should be added to avoid creaming?

I appreciate your help.

 

[ZpackSux]

If you find it so easy, I'm very happy for you. Unfortunately, I don't know everything. I am trying to learn. When I can't find the answer (and yes I have read my textbook and searched the internet) I ask for help.

Is it so hard to be polite to people? If you don't like my post, then ignore it. There is not need to be rude or condescending.

You tell em..

 

[sdn1977]

Listen Ga09....no one wants to be rude or condescending. But...you need to find out how to get your answers....not how to find THE answer. Do you get the difference?

Because if its not this one lab question...it will be another or another one in real life. When you need to get the answer...you have to know the reference to use.

One of the things pharmacists must need to learn is how to find & get information - we CANNOT know everything off the top of our heads..so we need to know how to get the references. Clearly...the ones you have are not sufficient.

Let me give you a tip - get (means buy) a Remington's! It will last you career - a lifetime. The one I bought in 1973 was published in 1970 & has all the information you need. The information in this book rarely changes (it only gets updated) & you'll appreciate having it.

If you can't afford it right now - go to your medical libraray & look up in Remington's in the index about emulisying agents. It will give you the information you need for this lab & the next one & most importantly...hopefully...it will give you an understanding into what you are trying to accomplish. Not just memorizing - because - belive me - in 30 years you won't remember if you should have used Tween or acacia!

Good luck!

 

[Caverject]

If you find it so easy, I'm very happy for you. Unfortunately, I don't know everything. I am trying to learn. When I can't find the answer (and yes I have read my textbook and searched the internet) I ask for help.

Is it so hard to be polite to people? If you don't like my post, then ignore it. There is not need to be rude or condescending.

I never said I found it easy, and there is no one that knows everything. I appreciate the fact you are trying to learn but this is like the third or forth pre-lab you have posted on here. Get some friends in your class together and learn from them. There is also this thing called "learning from your mistakes". Better yet, join Kappa Epsilon. I am sure there are some upper level girls that can help you out and may have kept their old assingnments and tests

 

[dgroulx]

Dana,

Here's the Rx we had to make in lab...

Castor Oil 30 mL
Tween 80
Span 40 aa qs 5 %
Flavored Syrup qs 60 mL

Of course we threw our products away as soon as we made it so I don't know if creaming would have been a problem. Do you know what type of ingredient should be added to avoid creaming?

I appreciate your help.

The syrup was the agent that added viscosity. What book are you using? You may want to invest in a better book. I used Thompson's "A Practical Guide to Contemporary Pharmacy Practice" and was able to find answers to all my questions. You can probably pick up a cheap copy on half.com if you can't afford to buy Remington's at this time.

 

[GaPharmGirl09]

The syrup was the agent that added viscosity. What book are you using? You may want to invest in a better book. I used Thompson's "A Practical Guide to Contemporary Pharmacy Practice" and was able to find answers to all my questions. You can probably pick up a cheap copy on half.com if you can't afford to buy Remington's at this time.

Thanks Dana,
I'll check to see if I can find that book. I don't care for the text we are using, but it is what I have for now. I'm going to be taking the compounding elective in the spring and plan on getting the Remington's before then. Maybe Santa can send me a copy. 🙂

 

[GaPharmGirl09]

I never said I found it easy, and there is no one that knows everything. I appreciate the fact you are trying to learn but this is like the third or forth pre-lab you have posted on here. Get some friends in your class together and learn from them. There is also this thing called "learning from your mistakes". Better yet, join Kappa Epsilon. I am sure there are some upper level girls that can help you out and may have kept their old assingnments and tests

Get over yourself and go to a thread more worthy of your time.😴

 

[genesis09]

In my school, we go over how to make all of the drugs right before lab.

Lucky, for you compounding is an elective. They are nuts about it over here. This semester is sterile compounding. First year spring semester is non sterile compounding, and first year fall semester is physical pharmacy/solutions. Next spring, will be advanced compounding.

 

[Requiem]

In my school, we go over how to make all of the drugs right before lab.

Lucky, for you compounding is an elective. They are nuts about it over here. This semester is sterile compounding. First year spring semester is non sterile compounding, and first year fall semester is physical pharmacy/solutions. Next spring, will be advanced compounding.

Sounds exactly like my school, from the pre-lab how to make it to the same semesters and corresponding topics of compounding. However we don't do advanced compounding, sucker!! (3 semesters is enough 😛)

To the OP:

There are a few ways to do this completely on your own... you're really spamming actual professionals and students who are much busier than you with drivel regarding emollients that you'll never read about again after pharmaceutics.

Now, how to do figure it out on your own: (This is how we did it last year):

-Get in a group of people. This group will help you because you can do your lab write-ups together, search for info on all the compounding ingredients together and if you can't find one chances are someone did - hence sharing of info.

-Use Remingtons. This book has every single answer you'll ever need about compounding. We used it in every lab writeup. If by chance you can't find some info, (rarely occurs) wikipedia is actually a good source for the answer - we found it to be accurate.

-If remingtons fails, and the group of ppl around you don't know, and wikipedia doesn't know - go see your lab instructor or prof. An alternate to this would be either to leave it out or just guess - a lot of these O/W W/O emulsions etc can be guessed at reasonably.. you'll get a hang of what ingredient does what. When in doubt, say glycerin.

Thank you, and hopefully I never have to look at a pharmaceutics pre-lab ever again.

 

[ApothRM]

god....i hated lab..good luck

 

[dgroulx]

We only had one semester of compounding and it was a short 8 week semester at that. You really have little call for it anymore. If for some reason you want more compounding experience there is an advanced compounding elective and also a compounding rotation elective.