Pharmaceutical

compounding calculations

Prof. Dr. Henny lucida, Apt

 Density factors in
weighing/measuring
A pharmacist receives a prescription
for 120 mL of a 3% (w/v) hydrochloric
acid (HCl) solution. The density of
conc. HCl (37% w/w) is 1.18 g/mL.
How many mL the concentrated acid
would be required for the
prescription?
 solution:
3% w/v HCl contained
HCl (g) 3 a b
Product (mL) 100 1 120
a = 0.03 g b = 3,6 g
3.6 g HCl = 3.6g : (1.18g/mL) = 3.05 mL

HCl p = 37%, vol required:

100/37 x 3.05 mL = 8.24 mL

A volume of 8.24 mL HCl conc is needed
 Reconstituting powders
The directions to constitute 150 mL
of an amoxicillin suspension 250
mg/5mL call for 111 mL of purified
water. The physician has requested
the product be constituted at a conc
of 500 mg/5mL. How much purified
water is required for the higher
concentration?
 Solution
The volume of 250mg/5 mL sol occupied by
amoxicillin powder:
150 ml 111ml = 39 ml
Amount (mg) for 150 mL;
Amoxycillin (mg) 250 a
product (mL) 5 150
a = 7500 mg
Total volume of the requested 500mg/5 ml
Amoxycillin (mg) 500 7500
product (mL) 5 b
b = 75 mL
Vol of water to add = 75 ml 39 ml = 36 mL
Units to weight conversions

A prescription calls for 150,000

units of nystatin per gram of
ointment with 60 g to be dispensed.
What quantity of nystatin 4400
units/mg USP should be weighed for
the prescription?
 solution
nystatin (unit) 150,000 a
ointment (g) 1 60
a = 9,000,000 units
nystatin weight:
nystatin (unit) 4400 9,000,000
weight (mg) 1 b
b = 2045 mg = 2.045 g of nystatin
 Potency of salt forms
Polymyxin B sulfate has a potency of 6000
units/mg. How much Polymyxin B sulfate in mg is
required to prepare 10 mL of an ophthalmic
solution containing 10,000 units/mL
Polymyxin B sulfate (units) 10,000 w
solution (mL) 1 10
w =100,000 units
Polymyxin B sulfate weight:
Polymyxin B sulfate (units) 6000 100,000
weight (mg) 1 y
y =16.67 mg of Polymyxin B sulfate
 Hydrated and anhydrous
crystals
How much MgSO4.7H2O must be
weighed to obtain 5 g of MgSO4 (AW
Mg = 24, S = 32, O = 16 and H = 1)
MW MgSO4 = 120 g; MW MgSO4.7H2O
= 246 g
Quantity of MgSO4.7H2O that contains
5 g of MgSO4 : 120 g = 5 g
246 g x
x = 10.25 g of MgSO4.7H2O
 Formulae containing
percentages
Using the following formula, calculate the
amounts of ingredients required to make 25 g:
sulphur 6%
salicylic acid 4%
white soft paraffin to 100%
Proportional set:
sulphur (g) 6 a
salicylic acid (g) 4 b
white soft paraffin (g) 90 c
total ointment (g) 100 25g
a = 1,5; b = 1; c = 22.5
 Practice calculations
1. Calculate the amounts of ingredients required to produce 25
g of product;
Calamine 12.5g
Strong coal tar solution 2.5 g
zinc oxide 12.5 g
hydrous wool fat 25 g
white soft paraffin 47.5 g
Calculate the total product:

Calamine (g) 12.5 3.125

Strong coal tar solution (g) 2.5 0.625
zinc oxide (g) 12.5 3.125
hydrous wool fat (g) 25 6.25
white soft paraffin (g) 47.5 11.875
total product 100 25
2. Calculate the amounts of ingredients required to
produce 200 g of product;
a. betnovate ointment 1 part
yellow soft paraffin to 5 parts
b. betnovate ointment 2 parts
yellow soft paraffin 8 parts
Solutions:
a. Betnovate ointment1part 40 g
yellow soft paraffin 4 parts 160 g
total product 5 parts 200 g
b. betnovate ointment 2 parts 40 g
yellow soft paraffin 8 parts 160 g
total product 10 parts 200 g
 Mixing products of different
strengths
A pharmacist receives an order for 120 g of
a 0.1% corticosteroid ointment. Three concs
of corticosteroid ointment (30 g of 0.1%, 15
g of 0.15% and 75 g of 0.005%), all in the
same ointment base, are on hand. If these 3
ointments are mixed together, how much
additional corticosteroid powder should be
added to prepare the prescription. Assume
the quantity of corticosteroid powder added
will be negligible compared with the total
weight of 120 g.
 solution
The total amount (mg) of corticosteroid for the
prescription:
0.1% = 0.1g/100g = 0.001 g/g; 0.15% = 0.0015;
0.005% = 0.00005; 120 g x 0.001 = 0.12 g = 120 mg
The total mg of corticosteroid contained in ointments
on hand:
in 0.1% = x = 30 g x 0.001 = 0.03 g = 30 mg
in 0.15 % = y = 15 g x 0.0015 = 0.0225 g = 22,5 mg
in 0.005 % = 75 g x 0.00005 = 0.00375 g = 3.8 mg
Total corticosteroid in ointments = x + y + z = 56.3 mg
The amount of additional corticosteroid powder
required:
120 mg 56.3 mg = 63.7 mg