I HATE Chloroform Water!

I just had a killer extemporaneous(on the spot) dispensing practical test yesterday morning. For those of you who are in the dark, extemporaneous dispensing is a module whereby we as future pharmacists learn to make products like suppositories (the medication u insert into your rectum), creams, solutions, syrups, ointments, powders, emulsions, suspensions etc. This practical takes up a whole chunk of 70% to our finals, and we are required to at least pass 2 out of the 3 products that we make to pass this paper (and thus, the module)



For this product that I SCREWED UP big time, it is a Paediatric Ferrous Sulphate Oral Solution. BLame it on the British Pharmacopoiea and the book Pharmaceutical Practice for showing me the FORMULA with the ingredient, double-strength chloroform water. I even went to check the ingredients provided on the bench top and was so happy to find the DOUBLE STRENGTH chloroform water lying around!



Goodness me, why didn't it hit me that the formula which is STARING loudly at me, was this-' Chloroform water BP' It did NOT say double-strength le....

*weep intensely*



warning: nerd post ahead, for the benefit of my friends who take pharmacy like heng boon

For the other 2 products, it is Loratadine powder 1 mg, using lactose a a diluent to top it up to 100 mg. We are required to prepare for 8 sachets but pack 4.


The trick here is, in one tablet u have 100 mg of loratadine. You know need 8 mg of loratadine powder in order to have 8 satchets, However, the loratadine tablet supplied is not 100 mg, it is more than 100mg because there are excipients in it. So you weight the tablet to know how much of powder (which u make by crushing the tablet later) u need. My tablet was 0.14 g.

8/ 10 x 0.14 = 0.11 g (so I take 0.11 g of the powder)

Then I top up lactose to 800mg (since one satchet is to 100 mg).
I hope I get this one RIGHT, I really need to get it right. ^_^


The next product, which is the one most of us didn't screw up, is Benzoic Acid Ointment, Compund, BP. Due to its uncomplications, I shall not elaborate the nerdy details.


I hope I PASS the 2 products so that I can pass this module, I hate to go for a resit!!!