Dosage form

Short description: Any specific format for medications, specific to a dose and route

Tablets in a blister pack

Dosage forms (also called unit doses) are pharmaceutical drug products presented in a specific form for use. They contain a mixture of active ingredients and inactive components (excipients), configured in a particular way (such as a capsule shell) and apportioned into a specific dose. For example, two products may both be amoxicillin, but one may come in 500 mg capsules, while another may be in 250 mg chewable tablets.

The term unit dose can also refer to non-reusable packaging, particularly when each drug product is individually packaged.[1] However, the FDA differentiates this by referring to it as unit-dose "packaging" or "dispensing".[2] Depending on the context, multi(ple) unit dose may refer to multiple distinct drug products packaged together or a single product containing multiple drugs and/or doses.

## Contents

* 1 Formulations
* 2 Types
* 3 Route of administration
* 4 Oral
* 5 Ophthalmic
* 6 Inhalation
* 6.1 Unintended ingredients
* 7 Injection
* 7.1 Parenteral
* 7.2 Unintended ingredients
* 7.2.1 Safe
* 7.2.2 Unsafe
* 8 Topical
* 8.1 Unintended use
* 9 Other
* 10 See also
* 11 References
* 12 External links

## Formulations

The term dosage form may also sometimes refer only to the pharmaceutical formulation of a drug product's constituent substances, without considering its final configuration as a consumable product (e.g., capsule, patch, etc.). Due to the somewhat ambiguous nature and overlap of these terms within the pharmaceutical industry, caution is advisable when discussing them with others who may interpret the terminology differently.

## Types

Dosage forms vary depending on the method/route of administration, which can include many types of liquid, solid, and semisolid forms. Common dosage forms include tablets, capsules, drinks, solutions,[3] suspensions,[4] and syrups, among others.

A combination drug (or fixed-dose combination; FDC) is a product that contains more than one active ingredient (e.g., one tablet, one capsule, or one syrup with multiple drugs).

In naturopathy, dosages can take the form of decoctions and herbal teas, in addition to the more conventional methods mentioned above.

## Route of administration

The route of administration (ROA) for drug delivery depends on the dosage form of the substance. Different dosage forms may be available for a particular drug, especially if certain conditions restrict the ROA. For example, if a patient is unconscious or experiencing persistent nausea and vomiting, oral administration may not be feasible, necessitating the use of alternative routes, such as inhalational, buccal, sublingual, nasal, suppository, or parenteral.

A specific dosage form may also be required due to issues such as chemical stability or pharmacokinetic properties. For instance, insulin cannot be given orally because it is extensively metabolized in the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) before it reaches the bloodstream, preventing it from reaching therapeutic target destinations. Similarly, the oral and intravenous doses of a drug like paracetamol differ for the same reason.[5]

## Oral

Single unit packets with full identification (text and bar codes)

* Pills, i.e. tablets or capsules
* Liquids such as syrups, solutions, elixers, emulsions, and tinctures
* Liquids such as decoctions and herbal teas
* Orally disintegrating tablets
* Lozenges or candy (electuaries)
* Thin films (e.g., Listerine Pocketpaks, nitroglycerin) to be placed on top of or underneath the tongue as well as against the cheek
* Powders or effervescent powder or tablets, often instructed to be mixed into a food item
* Plants or seeds prepared in various ways such as a cannabis edible
* Pastes such as high fluoride toothpastes
* Gases such as oxygen (can also be delivered through the nose)

## Ophthalmic

Vials of eye drops for single use

* Eye drops
* Lotions
* Ointments
* Emulsions

## Inhalation

* Aerosolized medication
* Dry-powder Inhalers or metered dose inhalers
* Nebulizer-administered medication
* Smoking
* Vaporizer-administered medication

### Unintended ingredients

Talc is an excipient often used in pharmaceutical tablets that may end up being crushed to a powder against medical advice or for recreational use. Also, illicit drugs that occur as white powder in their pure form are often cut with cheap talc. Natural talc is cheap but contains asbestos while asbestos-free talc is more expensive. Inhaled talc that has asbestos is generally accepted as being able to cause lung cancer if it is inhaled. The evidence about asbestos-free talc is less clear, according to the American Cancer Society.[6]

## Injection

An ampoule containing atropine injection 1mL/0.5mg

### Parenteral

* Intradermally-administered (ID)
* Subcutaneously-administered (SC)
* Intramuscularly-administered (IM)
* Intraosseous administration (IO)
* Intraperitoneally-administered (IP)
* intravenously-administered (IV)
* Intracavernously-administered (ICI)

These are usually solutions and suspensions.

### Unintended ingredients

#### Safe

#### Unsafe

The injection of talc from crushed pills has been associated with pulmonary talcosis in intravenous drug users.[7]

## Topical

* Creams, liniments, balms (such as lip balm or antiperspirants and deodorants), lotions, or ointments, etc.
* Gels and hydrogels
* Ear drops
* Transdermal and dermal patches to be applied to the skin
* Powders

### Unintended use

* It is not safe to calculate divided doses by cutting and weighing medical skin patches, because there's no guarantee that the substance is evenly distributed on the patch surface.[8] For example, fentanyl transdermal patches are designed to slowly release the substance over 3 days. It is well known that cut fentanyl transdermal consumed orally have cause overdoses and deaths.
* Single blotting papers for illicit drugs injected from solvents in syringes may also cause uneven distribution across the surface.

## Other

* Intravaginal administration
* Vaginal rings
* Capsules and tablets
* Suppositories
* Rectal administration (enteral)
* Suppositories
* Suspensions and solutions in the form of enemas
* Gels
* Urethral
* Nasal sprays

## See also

* Classification of Pharmaco-Therapeutic Referrals
* Drug delivery
* Route of administration
* Pharmaceutical packaging

## References

1. ↑ "unit dose". http://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/unit+dose.
2. ↑ Affairs, Office of Regulatory. "Compliance Policy Guides - CPG Sec 430.100 Unit Dose Labeling for Solid and Liquid Oral Dosage Forms". https://www.fda.gov/ICECI/ComplianceManuals/CompliancePolicyGuidanceManual/ucm074377.htm.
3. ↑ Brunaugh, Ashlee D.; Moraga-Espinoza, Daniel; Bahamondez-Canas, Tania; Smyth, Hugh D. C.; Williams, Robert O. (2024). "Solution-Based Dosage Forms and Sterile Products". Essential Pharmaceutics. 12. Cham: Springer International Publishing. pp. 91–107. doi:10.1007/978-3-031-52520-9_6. ISBN 978-3-031-52519-3. https://link.springer.com/10.1007/978-3-031-52520-9_6. Retrieved 2025-06-20.
4. ↑ Pharmaceutical Suspensions: From Formulation Development to Manufacturing. New York, NY: Springer New York. 2010. doi:10.1007/978-1-4419-1087-5. ISBN 978-1-4419-1086-8. https://link.springer.com/10.1007/978-1-4419-1087-5. Retrieved 2025-06-20.
5. ↑ "Doctors 'missed' fatal overdoses". BBC News. 4 February 2011. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-12366870.
6. ↑ "Talcum Powder and Cancer" (in en). https://www.cancer.org/cancer/cancer-causes/talcum-powder-and-cancer.html.
7. ↑ Davis, LL. (Dec 1983). "Pulmonary "mainline" granulomatosis: talcosis secondary to intravenous heroin abuse with characteristic x-ray findings of asbestosis.". J Natl Med Assoc 75 (12): 1225–8. PMID 6655726.
8. ↑ Cohen, Michael R. (1 March 2013). "The danger with cutting medication patches: Institute for Safe Medication Practices" (in English). Pharmacy Today 19 (3): 88. doi:10.1016/S1042-0991(15)31507-3. ISSN 1042-0991. https://www.pharmacytoday.org/article/S1042-0991(15)31507-3/fulltext. Retrieved 17 May 2022.

## External links

* Dosage From Development

* v
* t
* e

Routes of administration, dosage forms

Oral|

| Digestive
tract (enteral)|

| Solids|

* Pill
* Tablet
* Capsule
* Pastille
* Time release technology
* Osmotic delivery system (OROS)

|
|

Liquids|

* Decoction
* Elixir
* Electuary
* Emulsion
* Extended-release syrup
* Effervescent powder or tablet
* Herbal tea
* Hydrogel
* Molecular encapsulation
* Powder
* Softgel
* Solution
* Suspension
* Syrup
* Syrup Concentrate for dilution and/or addition of carbonated water
* Tincture

Buccal (sublabial),
sublingual|

| Solids|

* Orally disintegrating tablet (ODT)
* Film
* Lollipop
* Sublingual drops
* Lozenges
* Effervescent buccal tablet
* Chewing gum

|

Liquids|

* Mouthwash
* Toothpaste
* Ointment
* Oral spray

Respiratory
tract|

| Solids|

* Smoking device
* Dry-powder inhaler (DPI)

|
|

Liquids|

* Anaesthetic vaporizer
* Vaporizer
* Nebulizer
* Metered-dose inhaler (MDI)

Gas|

* Oxygen mask and Nasal cannula
* Oxygen concentrator
* Anaesthetic machine
* Relative analgesia machine

Ophthalmic,
otologic, nasal]]|

* Nasal spray
* Ear drops
* Eye drops
* Ointment
* Hydrogel
* Nanosphere suspension
* Insufflation
* Mucoadhesive microdisc (microsphere tablet)

Urogenital|

* Ointment
* Pessary (vaginal suppository)
* Vaginal ring
* Vaginal douche
* Intrauterine device (IUD)
* Extra-amniotic infusion
* Intravesical infusion

Rectal (enteral)|

* Ointment
* Suppository
* Enema
* Solution
* Hydrogel
* Murphy drip
* Nutrient enema

Dermal|

* Ointment
* Topical cream
* Topical gel
* Liniment
* Paste
* Film
* DMSO drug solution
* Electrophoretic dermal delivery system
* Hydrogel
* Liposomes
* Transfersome vesicles
* Cream
* Lotion
* Lip balm
* Medicated shampoo
* Dermal patch
* Transdermal patch
* Contact (rubbed into break in the skin)
* Transdermal spray
* Jet injector

Injection,
infusion<br />(into tissue/blood)

| Skin|

* Intradermal
* Subcutaneous
* Transdermal implant

|
|

Organs|

* Intracavernous
* Intravitreal
* Intra-articular injection
* Transscleral

Central nervous system|

* Intracerebral
* Intrathecal
* Epidural

Circulatory,
musculoskeletal|

* Intravenous
* Intracardiac
* Intramuscular
* Intraosseous
* Intraperitoneal
* Nanocell injection
* Patient-controlled analgesia pump
* PIC line

* v
* t
* e

Packaging

General topics|

* Active packaging
* Child-resistant packaging
* Contract packager
* Modified atmosphere/modified humidity packaging
* Package pilferage
* Package testing
* Packaging engineering
* Resealable packaging
* Reusable packaging
* Reuse of bottles
* Shelf life
* Shelf-ready packaging
* Shelf-stable
* Sustainable packaging
* Tamper-evident
* Tamper resistance
* Wrap rage

Product packages|

* Alternative wine closure
* Beer bottle
* Box wine
* Case-ready meat
* Coffee bag
* Cosmetic packaging
* Currency packaging
* Disposable food packaging
* Drink can
* Egg carton
* Evidence packaging
* Flour sack
* Foam food container
* Food packaging
* Glass milk bottle
* Growler
* Juicebox
* Luxury packaging
* Milk bag
* Optical disc packaging
* Popcorn bag
* Pharmaceutical packaging
* Plastic milk container
* Self-heating food packaging
* Screw cap (wine)
* Single-serve coffee container
* Water bottle
* Wine bottle

Containers|

* Aerosol spray
* Aluminium bottle
* Aluminum can
* Ampoule
* Antistatic bag
* Bag-in-box
* Bag
* Barrel
* Biodegradable bag
* Blister pack
* Boil-in-bag
* Bottle
* Box
* Bulk box
* Cage
* Case
* Carboy
* Carton
* Chub
* Clamshell
* Corrugated box design
* Crate
* Disposable cup
* Drum
* Endcap
* Envelope
* Flexible intermediate bulk container
* Folding carton
* Glass bottle
* Gunny sack
* Inhaler
* Insulated shipping container
* Intermediate bulk container
* Jar
* Jerrycan
* Jug
* Keg
* Mesh bag
* Multi-pack
* Oyster pail
* Packet (container)
* Padded envelope
* Pail
* Paper bag
* Paper sack
* Plastic bag
* Plastic bottle
* Retort pouch
* Sachet
* Security bag
* Self-heating can
* Shipping container
* Skin pack
* Spray bottle
* Stand-up pouch
* Steel and tin cans
* Tetra Brik
* Thermal bag
* Tub (container)
* Tube
* Unit load
* Vial
* Wooden box

Materials and
components|

* Adhesive
* Aluminium foil
* Bail handle
* Bioplastic
* Biodegradable plastic
* BoPET
* Bubble wrap
* Bung
* Cellophane
* Closure
* Coated paper
* Coating
* Coextrusion
* Corrugated fiberboard
* Corrugated plastic
* Cushioning
* Desiccant
* Double seam
* Foam peanut
* Gel pack
* Glass
* Hot-melt adhesive
* Kraft paper
* Label
* Lid
* Linear low-density polyethylene
* Liquid packaging board
* Low-density polyethylene
* Metallised film
* Modified atmosphere
* Molded pulp
* Nonwoven fabric
* Overwrap
* Oxygen scavenger
* Package handle
* Packaging gas
* Pallet
* Paper
* Paper pallet
* Paperboard
* Plastic film
* Plastic pallet
* Plastic wrap
* Polyester
* Polyethylene
* Polypropylene
* Pressure-sensitive tape
* Pump dispenser
* Screw cap
* Screw cap (wine)
* Security printing
* Security tape
* Shock detector
* Shock and vibration data logger
* Shrink wrap
* Slip sheet
* Staple (fastener)
* Strapping
* Stretch wrap
* Susceptor
* Tamper-evident band
* Tear tape
* Temperature data logger
* Time temperature indicator
* Tinplate
* Velostat

Processes|

* Aseptic processing
* Authentication
* Automatic identification and data capture
* Blow fill seal
* Blow molding
* Calendering
* Canning
* Coating
* Containerization
* Corona treatment
* Curtain coating
* Die cutting
* Die forming (plastics)
* Electronic article surveillance
* Extrusion
* Extrusion coating
* Flame treatment
* Glass production
* Graphic design
* HACCP
* Hermetic seal
* Induction sealing
* Injection moulding
* Lamination
* Laser cutting
* Molding
* Package tracking
* Papermaking
* Plastic welding
* Plastics extrusion
* Printing
* Quality assurance
* Radio-frequency identification
* Roll slitting
* Shearing (manufacturing)
* Thermoforming
* Track and trace
* Vacuum forming
* Ultrasonic welding
* Vacuum packaging
* Verification and validation

Machinery|

* Barcode printer
* Barcode reader
* Bottling line
* Calender
* Can seamer
* Cartoning machine
* Case sealer
* Check weigher
* Conveyor system
* Extended core stretch wrapper
* Filler
* Heat gun
* Heat sealer
* Industrial robot
* Injection molding machine
* Label printer applicator
* Lineshaft roller conveyor
* Logistics automation
* Material-handling equipment
* Mechanical brake stretch wrapper
* Multihead weigher
* Orbital stretch wrapper
* Packaging machinery
* Palletizer
* Rotary wheel blow molding systems
* Shrink tunnel
* Staple gun
* Tape dispenser
* Turntable stretch wrapper
* Vertical form fill sealing machine

Environment,
post-use|

* Biodegradation
* Environmental engineering
* Glass recycling
* Industrial ecology
* Life-cycle assessment
* Litter
* Packaging waste
* Paper recycling
* Plastic recycling
* Recycling
* Reusable packaging
* Reverse logistics
* Source reduction
* Sustainable packaging
* Waste management

Category: Packaging

0.00

(0 votes)

Original source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dosage form. Read more

|

Retrieved from "https://handwiki.org/wiki/index.php?title=Medicine:Dosage_form&oldid=4170105"
*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template