A cream is a topical preparation usually for application to the skin The skin is the outer covering of the body. In humans, it is the largest organ of the integumentary system made up of multiple layers of mesodermal tissue, and guards the underlying muscles, bones, ligaments and internal organs. Skin of a different nature exists in amphibians, reptiles, birds. Human skin is not unlike that of most other mammals. Creams for application to mucus membranes such as those of the rectum The rectum is the final straight portion of the large intestine in some mammals, and the gut in others, terminating in the anus. The human rectum is about 12 cm long.[citation needed] Its caliber is similar to that of the sigmoid colon at its commencement, but it is dilated near its termination, forming the rectal ampulla or vagina are also used. Creams may be considered pharmaceutical Pharmaceutics is the discipline of pharmacy that deals with all facets of the process of turning a new chemical entity into a medication able to be safely and effectively used by patients in the community. Pharmaceutics is the science of dosage form design. There are many chemicals with known pharmacological properties but a raw chemical is of no products as even cosmetic creams are based on techniques developed by pharmacy Pharmacy is the health profession that links the health sciences with the chemical sciences, and it is charged with ensuring the safe and effective use of pharmaceutical drugs and unmedicated creams are highly used in a variety of skin conditions (dermatoses).

Creams are semi-solid emulsions An emulsion is a mixture of two or more immiscible (unblendable) liquids. Emulsions are part of a more general class of two-phase systems of matter called colloids. Although the terms colloid and emulsion are sometimes used interchangeably, emulsion tends to imply that both the dispersed and the continuous phase are liquid.In an emulsion, one, that is mixtures of oil and water. They are divided into two types: oil-in-water (O/W) creams which are composed of small droplets of oil dispersed in a continuous aqueous phase, and water-in-oil (W/O) creams which are composed of small droplets of water dispersed in a continuous oily phase. Oil-in-water creams are more comfortable and cosmetically acceptable as they are less greasy and more easily washed off using water. Water-in-oil creams are more difficult to handle but many drugs A pharmaceutical drug, also referred to as medicine, medication or medicament, can be loosely defined as any chemical substance intended for use in the medical diagnosis, cure, treatment, or prevention of disease which are incorporated into creams are hydrophobic In chemistry, hydrophobicity is the physical property of a molecule (known as a hydrophobe) that is repelled from a mass of water and will be released more readily from a water-in-oil cream than an oil-in-water cream. Water-in-oil creams are also more moisturising as they provide an oily barrier which reduces water loss from the stratum corneum The stratum corneum is the outermost layer of the epidermis, composed of large, flat, polyhedral, plate-like envelopes filled with keratin, which is made up of dead cells that have migrated up from the stratum granulosum. From the Latin for horned layer, this skin layer is composed mainly of dead cells that lack nuclei. As these dead cells slough, the outmost layer of the skin.

Uses of creams

Creams are semisolid dosage forms containing one or more drug substances dissolved or dispersed in a suitable base. This term has traditionally been applied to semisolids that possess a relatively fluid consistency formulated as either water-in-oil (e.g., Cold Cream) or oil-in-water (e.g., Fluocinolone Acetonide Cream) emulsions. However, more recently the term has been restricted to products consisting of oil-in-water emulsions or aqueous microcrystalline dispersions of long-chain fatty acids or alcohols that are water washable and more cosmetically and aesthetically acceptable. Creams can be used for administering drugs via the vaginal route (e.g., Triple Sulfa Vaginal Cream).

Topical medication forms

(Source:[1])

References

  1. ^ Doctor, why are you prescribing an ointment?; American Academy of Dermatology; http://www.skincarephysicians.com/eczemanet/doctor.html
Route of administrations A route of administration in pharmacology and toxicology is the path by which a drug, fluid, poison, or other substance is brought into contact with the body / Dosage forms A dosage form is the physical form of a dose of a chemical compound used as a drug or medication intended for administration or consumption. Common dosage forms include pill, tablet, or capsule, drink or syrup, aerosol or inhaler, liquid injection, pure powder or solid crystal (e.g., via oral ingestion or freebase smoking), and natural or herbal
Oral The mouth, buccal cavity, or oral cavity is the first portion of the alimentary canal that receives food and begins digestion by mechanically breaking up the solid food particles into smaller pieces and mixing them with saliva. The oral mucosa is the mucous membrane epithelium lining the inside of the mouth
Enteral Enteral is a term used to describe the intestines or other portions of the digestive tract. This is contrasted with parenteral, or non-digestive, system methods of introducing drugs or substances into the body, via, for example, injection/ digestive tract The human gastrointestinal tract , digestive tract, guts or gut is the system of organs within humans that takes in food, digests it to extract energy and nutrients, and expels the remaining matter. The major functions of the gastrointestinal tract are ingestion, digestion, absorption, and defecation
Solids The solid state of matter is one of the three main states that matter is found in. The solid state is characterized by structural rigidity and resistance to changes of shape or volume. Unlike a liquid, a solid object does not flow to take on the shape of its container, nor does it expand to fill the entire volume available to it like a gas does Capsule In the manufacture of pharmaceuticals, encapsulation refers to a range of techniques used to enclose medicines in a relatively stable shell known as a capsule, allowing them to, for example, be taken orally or be used as suppositories. The two main types of capsules are hard-shelled capsules, which are normally used for dry, powdered ingredients, · Pill A pill is a small, round, solid pharmacological oral dosage form in use before the advent of tablets and capsules. Pills were made by mixing the active ingredients with an excipient such as glucose syrup in a mortar and pestle to form a paste, then rolling the mass into a long cylindrical shape , and dividing it into equal portions, which were · Tablet A tablet is a mixture of active substances and excipients, usually in powder form, pressed or compacted into a solid. The excipients include binders, glidants and lubricants to ensure efficient tabletting; disintegrants to ensure that the tablet breaks up in the digestive tract; sweeteners or flavours to mask the taste of bad-tasting active · Orally disintegrating tablet · Film · OROS (osmotic controlled release capsule)
Liquids Liquid is one of the three classical states of matter. Like a gas, a liquid is able to flow and take the shape of a container, but, like a solid, it resists compression. Unlike a gas, a liquid does not disperse to fill every space of a container, and maintains a fairly constant density. A distinctive property of the liquid state is surface tension, Elixir An elixir is a sweet flavored liquid (usually containing alcohol) used in compounding medicines to be taken orally in order to mask an unpleasant taste and intended to cure one's ills · Emulsion An emulsion is a mixture of two or more immiscible (unblendable) liquids. Emulsions are part of a more general class of two-phase systems of matter called colloids. Although the terms colloid and emulsion are sometimes used interchangeably, emulsion tends to imply that both the dispersed and the continuous phase are liquid.In an emulsion, one · Syrup In cooking, a syrup is a thick, viscous liquid, containing a large amount of dissolved sugars, but showing little tendency to deposit crystals. The viscosity arises from the multiple hydrogen bonds between the dissolved sugar, which has many hydroxyl (OH) groups, and the water. Technically and scientifically, the term syrup is also employed to · Suspension In chemistry, a suspension is a heterogeneous fluid containing solid particles that are sufficiently large for sedimentation. Usually they must be larger than 1 micrometre. The internal phase is dispersed throughout the external phase (fluid) through mechanical agitation, with the use of certain excipients or suspending agents. Unlike colloids, · Tincture In medicine, a tincture is an alcoholic extract or solution of a non-volatile substance; (e.g. of iodine, mercurochrome). To qualify as a tincture, the alcoholic extract is to have an ethanol percentage of at least 40-60% (sometimes a 90% percent pure liquid is even achieved). Solutions of volatile substances were called spirits, although that
Respiratory tract In humans the respiratory tract is the part of the anatomy that has to do with the process of respiration Inhaler An inhaler or puffer is a medical device used for delivering medication into the body via the lungs. It is mainly used in the treatment of asthma and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (Metered-dose, Dry powder A Dry powder inhaler is a device that delivers medication to the lungs in the form of a dry powder. DPIs are commonly used to treat respiratory diseases such as asthma, bronchitis, emphysema and COPD although DPIs have also been used in the treatment of diabetes mellitus) · Nebulizer In medicine, a nebulizer is a device used to administer medication to people in the form of a mist inhaled into the lungs. It is commonly used in treating cystic fibrosis, asthma, and other respiratory diseases
Circulatory system The circulatory system is an organ system that passes nutrients , gases, hormones, blood cells, , etc. to and from cells in the body to help fight diseases and help stabilize body temperature and pH to maintain homeostasis. This system may be seen strictly as a blood distribution network, but some consider the circulatory system as composed of the Sublingual administration Sublingual, literally 'under the tongue', from Latin, refers to the pharmacological route of administration by which drugs diffuse into the blood through tissues under the tongue. Many pharmaceuticals are designed for sublingual administration, including cardiovascular drugs, steroids, barbiturates, enzymes, and increasingly, vitamins and minerals
ENT Otolaryngology or ENT is the branch of medicine that specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of ear, nose, throat, and head and neck disorders. The full name of the specialty is otolaryngology-head and neck surgery. Practitioners are called otolaryngologists-head and neck surgeons, or sometimes otorhinolaryngologists (ORL). The term comes from Eye drop Eye drops are saline-containing drops used as a vector to administer medication in the eye. Depending on the condition being treated, they may contain steroids , antihistamines, sympathomimetics, beta receptor blockers, parasympathomimetics (e.g. pilocarpine), parasympatholytics (e.g. tropicamide or atropine), prostaglandins, non-steroidal anti- · Ear drop Ear drops are a form of medicine used to treat or prevent ear infections, especially infections of the outer ear and ear canal · Intranasal Insufflation is the practice of inhaling substances into a body cavity. Insufflation has limited medical use, but is a common route of administration with many respiratory drugs used to treat conditions in the lungs (asthma or emphysema) and paranasal sinus (allergy)
Transdermal Emulsion An emulsion is a mixture of two or more immiscible (unblendable) liquids. Emulsions are part of a more general class of two-phase systems of matter called colloids. Although the terms colloid and emulsion are sometimes used interchangeably, emulsion tends to imply that both the dispersed and the continuous phase are liquid.In an emulsion, one (Ointment An ointment is a viscous semisolid preparation used topically on a variety of body surfaces. These include the skin and the mucous membranes of the eye , vagina, anus, and nose. An ointment may or may not be medicated · Cream · Lotion · Liniment · Gel · Paste · Film) · Medicated shampoo · Transdermal implant · Transdermal patch
Injection/parenteral Subcutaneous (SC) · Intravenous (IV) · Intramuscular (IM) · Intraosseous · Intraperitoneal (IP) · Intrathecal · Intracavernosal
Vaginal Pessary (vaginal suppository) · Vaginal ring · Douche · Intrauterine device
Rectal Suppository · Enema

Categories: Pharmacy | Dosage forms

 

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