Altering Product Strength, Use of

Stock Solutions, and Problem Solving

by Alligations
Yewande Dayo
Student Pharmacist

Objectives

Upon completion of this chapter, the student

will be able to:
Perform calculations for altering product
strength by dilution, concentration, or
fortification.
Perform calculations for the preparation and
use of stock solutions.
Apply alligation medial and alligation alternate
in problem-solving.

Altering Product Strength

If a mixture of a given strength is diluted to

twice its original quantity, its strength will be
reduced by one half because the active
ingredient will be contained in twice as many
parts of the whole
5 grams in 100 mL = 5%
5 grams in 200 mL = ?%

Dilution and Concentration

If a mixture is concentrated to one half its

original quantity, the active ingredient will be
contained in one-half as many parts of the
whole and the strength will be doubled.
5 grams in 100 mL = 5%
5 grams in 50 mL = ?%
The percentage or ratio strength decreases as
the quantity of solution increases (active
ingredient remains constant)
The reverse is also true

Multiple Ways to Solve a Problem

A problem can be solved in several ways. The

best way is not necessarily the shortest: the
best way is the one that is clearly understood.
Problems in this section may be solved by:

Inverse proportion
Q1 x C1 = Q2 x C2
By determining the quantity of active solute
needed and then calculating the quantity of the
available solution (usually concentrated or stock
solution) that will provide the needed amount of
constituent.

Stock Solutions

Solutions of known concentration. Usually

strong solutions from which weaker ones are
easily made.
Stock solutions are prepared on a weight in
volume basis.

Dilution of Alcohol

Because of a noticeable contraction in volume

when alcohol and water are mixed, we cannot
calculate the precise volume of water needed
to dilute alcohol to a desired volume in
volume strength. However, we may qs with
water to the appropriate volume.
Because the contraction of liquids does not
affect the weights of the components, the
weight of water needed to dilute alcohol to a
desired weight in weight strength may be
calculated.

Example 1

If 500 mL of a 15% v/v solution of methyl

salicylate in alcohol are diluted to 1500 mL,
what will be the percentage strength v/v?

Example 2

If a 0.067% (w/v) methylbezethonium chloride

lotion is diluted with an equal volume of
water, what will be the ratio strength (w/v) of
the dilution?

Example 3

What is the strength of a sodium chloride

solution obtained by evaporating 800 g of a
10% (w/w) solution to 250 g?

Example 4

How many milliliters of water for injection

must be added to 10 liters of a 50%(w/v)
dextrose injection to reduce the concentration
to 30% (w/v)

Example 5

How many milliliters of a 5% (w/v) solution of

menthol in alcohol should be used to obtain
the amount of menthol needed in preparing
the lotion?

Menthol
0.1%
Hexachlorphene
0.1%
Glycerin
10.0%
Alcohol 70% to make
500mL

Example 6

How many milliliters of a 1:400 (w/v) stock

solution should be used to make 4 liters of a
1:2000 (w/v) solution?

Example 7

How many milliliters of a 1:50 (w/v) stock

solution of a chemical should be used to
prepare 1 liter of a 1:4000 (w/v) solution?

Example 8

How many milliliters of water must be added

to 250 mL of a 25% (w/v) stock solution of
sodium chloride to prepare a 0.9% (w/v)
sodium chloride solution?

Example 9

If a syrup containing 65% (w/v) of sucrose is

evaporated to 85% of its volume, what
percent (w/v) of sucrose will it contain?

Dilution of Acids

The strength of an official concentrated acid is

expressed as percentage weight-in-weight,
e.g., HCl, NF contains 36.5% w/w
The strength of an official diluted acid is
expressed as percentage weight-in-volume,
e.g., Dil HCl, NF contains 9.5% w/v

Example 10

How many milliliters of 37% (w/w)

hydrochloric acid having a specific gravity of
1.20 are required to make 1000 mL of diluted
hydrochloric acid 10% (w/v)?

Example 11

How many milliliters of 85% w/w phosphoric

acid having a specific gravity of 1.71 should
be used in preparing 1 gallon of % w/v
phosphoric acid solution to be used for
bladder irrigation?

Dilution and concentration of solids

Drug + Diluent = Product

How much drug present in or needed for the
product?
How much diluent present in or needed in the
product?
How much drug present in the stock solution?
How much diluent present in the stock
solution?
Finally how much stock solution needed to get
the desired drug for the finished product?

Example 12

How many grams of opium containing 15%

(w/w) of morphine and how many grams of
lactose should be used to prepare 150 g of
opium containing 10% (w/w) of morphine?

Example 12

If some moist crude drug contains 7.2% of

active ingredient and 21.6% of water, what
will be the percentage (w/w) of active
ingredient after the drug is dried?

Example 13

How many grams of 20% benzocaine ointment

and how many grams of ointment base
(diluent) should be used in preparing 5 lb of
2.5% benzocaine ointment?

Example 14

How many grams of coal tar should be added

to 3200 g of 5% coal tar ointment to prepare
an ointment containing 20% of coal tar?

Example 15

How many milliliters of water should be added

to 100 mL of a 1:125 (w/v) solution to make a
solution such that 25 mL diluted to 100 mL
will yield a 1:4000 dilution?

ALLIGATION
It is a short-cut arithmetical method (based on
algebraic summation) for solving problems
that involve mixing of
1. Solutions or mixtures of solids possessing
different percentage (%) strengths
2. Mixtures of liquids with different specific
gravity, provided there is no change in
volume when liquids are combined. There
are two types

Alligation Medial
Alligation Alternate

Alligation Medial

It is a method by which the weighted

average percentage strength of a mixture of
two or more substances of known quantity
and concentration may be quickly calculated.

Example 16

What is the percentage (v/v) of alcohol in a

mixture of 3000 mL of 40% (v/v) alcohol, 1000
mL of 60% (v/v) alcohol, and 1000 mL of 70%
(v/v) alcohol (assume no contraction of
volume)?

Alligation Alternate

It is a method by which we may calculate the

number of parts of two or more components
of a given strength when they are to be mixed
to prepare a mixture of desired strength.

Example 17

In what proportion should 20% benzocaine

ointment be mixed with an ointment base to
produce a 2.5% benzocaine ointment?

Example 18

A hospital pharmacist wants to use three lots

of ichthammol ointment containing,
respectively, 50%, 20%, and 5% ichthammol.
In what proportion should they be mixed to
prepare a 10% ichthammol ointment?

Example 19

How many milliliters of each of two liquids

with specific gravities of 0.950 and 0.875
should be used to prepare 1500 mL of a liquid
having a specific gravity of 0.925?

Example 20

The formula for a buffer solution contains

1.24% (w/v) of boric acid. How many milliliters
of a 5% (w/v) boric acid solution should be
used to obtain the boric acid needed in
preparing 1 liter of the buffer solution?

Example 21

If a pharmacist adds 3 g of hydrocortisone to

60 g of a 5% (w/w) hydrocortisone cream,
what is the final percentage strength of
hydrocortisone in the product?

Example 22

Rx

Castor Oil
Euresol
Alcohol 85%

5.0 mL
15.0 mL
ad 240.0 mL

How many milliliters each of 95% (v/v) alcohol

and water should be used in preparing the
prescription?

Example 23

Phenobarbital elixir contains 400 mg of

phenobarbital in each 100 mL. A physician
wants to increase the phenobarbital content
to 30 mg per teaspoonsful and to prescribe
the dose twice a day for 24 days. How many
milligrams of phenobarbital should be added
to the prescribed volume of the prescription to
provide the amount needed for the dosage
regimen?

Example 24

If a pharmacist mixed 1 pint of propylene

glycol having a specific gravity of 1.20 with
500 mL of water, how many milliliters
additional propylene glycol should be added
to change the specific gravity to 1.15?

Example 25

How many grams of sorbitol solution having a

specific gravity of 1.285 and how many grams
(milliliters) of water should be used in
preparing 500 g of a sorbitol solution having a
specific gravity of 1.225?

Example 26

A manufacturing pharmacist has on hand four

lots of belladonna tincture, containing 25 mg,
27 mg, 33 mg, and 35 mg of alkaloids per 100
mL. How many gallons of each lot should be
used to prepare 16 gallons of belladonna
tincture containing 30 mg of alkaloids per 100
mL?

Example 27

How many grams of silver nitrate should be

used in preparing 500 mL of a solution such
that 10 mL diluted to a liter will yield a 1:5000
solution?

Example 28

Express a patients uric acid level of 5.0 mg/dL

in terms of milligrams percent.

Example 29

You have prepared a solution by dissolving

120 mg of a drug in 3 mL of water and diluted
the solution to 6 mL. What is the
concentration of the drug in solution in terms
of % w/v. If the specific gravity of the diluted
solution is 1.234 then calculate the
concentration in % w/w.

Example 30

Rx
Zinc Oxide
Starch aa 2 g
Petrolatum
60 g
After compounding the formula above, the
pharmacist received a call from the prescriber to
change the concentration of zinc oxide to 7.5 %
(w/w). How many grams of zinc oxide should the
pharmacist add to the original formula?

Case 1

Rx
Hydrocortisone 0.6%
AQUAPHOR q.s. ad 15 g
Sig: Apply to childs affected area t.i.d.
The pharmacist has no hydrocortisone powder but
does have a hydrocortisone cream, 1%. How many
grams each of hydrocortisone Cream and
Aquaphor should be used in filling the
prescription?