Assay of Pharmaceutical Products
Assay of products such as pharmaceutical suspensions and tablet coatings is a critical part of the Quality Assurance process. In some cases every batch of each product has to be tested, requiring 100% repeatability of results.

Production of Cough Mixtures and Pharmaceutical Syrups
Traditional cough mixtures are formulated around a syrup at 60-75% concentration which is made from sucrose, maltodextrin, glucose, invert syrup etc. The remainder is made up of thickening agents, stabilisers and active ingredients.

Production of Pharmaceutical Cream and Lotions
Pharmaceutical preparations for treatment of conditions such as rashes, skin irritation, stings, fungal infections etc. are normally supplied in the form of a cream or ointment as this provides an effective means of delivering the active ingredient directly to the required area. Products can be either a water in oil (w/o) or oil in water (o/w) emulsion, consisting of waxes, emollients and lubricants dispersed in an oil phase, and a water phase containing emulsifying, stabilizing and thickening agents, preservatives and in some cases, colorant. Active ingredients are dispersed in either phase or added when the emulsion has been formed and allowed to cool.

Mixing of Sterile Ingredients
To respond to legislative and customer requirements, the pharmaceutical industry is having to demand ever increasing standards of hygienic construction in process equipment. This is applicable to all forms of pharmaceutical products - ointments, suspensions, syrups etc. Products manufactured under sterile or cleanroom conditions - for example injectables and vaccines - present different challenges, especially regarding product sterilization. For these products, mixing would normally take place before sterilization but there are instances where post-production sterilization is impossible for technical reasons, placing further restrictions on the mixing process.

Manufacture of Pharmaceutical Tablet Coatings
Pharmaceutical tablets are given a coating for a number of reasons:

• To improve the appearance and aid identification.
• To protect the tablet from moisture and other adverse conditions.
• To lubricate the tablet to ease swallowing.
• To disguise unpleasant tastes.
• To create a barrier between the active ingredient and the gastrointestinal tract.
• To control the release of drug into the body.