Key Points Summary: Knowledge of Ointments and Powders

1. What are the bases of ointments?

Types of ointment bases	Classification	Specific bases
Fatty bases	Oily types	Lanolin, vegetable oils, hydrogenated vegetable oils
Waxy types	Lanolin, beeswax, white wax, spermaceti
Hydrocarbon types	Petrolatum, solid paraffin, liquid paraffin
Silicone types	Dimethylpolysiloxane, toluene polysiloxane
Water-soluble bases	–	Polyethylene glycol types

2. Bases of creams

Bases of creams	Specific bases
O/W cream bases	Monovalent soaps	Sodium soap, potassium soap, amine soap
Fatty alcohol sulfate (ester) sodium types	Sodium lauryl sulfate
Polysorbate types	Parabens
Derivatives of polyethylene glycol ethers	Polysorbate O, softeners SG, emulsifiers OP
W/O cream bases	Multivalent soaps	–
Fatty acid sorbitan types	Sorbitan
Others	Beeswax, cholesterol, stearyl alcohol

3. Definitions of ointments, eye ointments, plasters, rubber ointments, and gel ointments

（1）Ointment: A uniform semi-solid external preparation made by mixing active pharmaceutical ingredients with fatty or water-soluble bases.

（2）Eye ointment: A sterile semi-solid preparation for ophthalmic use made by uniformly mixing active pharmaceutical ingredients with suitable bases.

（3）Plaster: A preparation made from medicinal slices, edible vegetable oils, and red lead (minium) processed into a paste and applied to backing material for external use on the skin.

（4）Rubber ointment: A preparation made by mixing active pharmaceutical ingredients with rubber bases and applying it to backing material.

（5）Gel ointment: A preparation made by mixing active pharmaceutical ingredients with suitable hydrophilic bases and applying it to backing material.

4. Composition of gel ointments

Composition of gel ointments	Specific content
Backing layer	Carrier of the base, such as non-woven fabric, artificial cotton fabric, etc.
Anti-adhesion layer	Protective layer for the ointment, such as polypropylene and polyethylene films, polyester, glass paper, etc.
Ointment body	Composed of base+medication. The base generally consists of adhesives, moisturizers, excipients, etc.; Common bases include sodium polyacrylate, carboxymethyl cellulose sodium, gelatin, glycerin, and micro-powdered silica.

5. Which drugs are not suitable for powder formulation?

Drugs that are large in dosage, prone to moisture deterioration; irritating, corrosive drugs, and prescriptions with high volatile components are generally not suitable for powder formulation.

Mnemonic: Gray large is irritating

Gray=prescriptions with high volatile components, large=drugs with large dosages, is=corrosive drugs, irritating=irritating drugs, scratching=moisture=prone to moisture deterioration

6. Dilution powders and their applications

Toxic drugs often require the addition of a certain proportion of diluents to prepare dilution powders (also known as multiple powders) for application.

When preparing dilution powders, the equal increment method should be used for mixing. The dilution ratio of the powders should be determined based on the dosage of the drug, such as:

（1）For dosages between0.01～0.1g, a 10-fold dilution can be prepared (i.e., one part of the drug plus nine parts of excipient).

（2）For dosages between0.001～0.01g, a 100-fold dilution can be prepared (i.e., one part of the drug plus ninety-nine parts of excipient).

（3）For dosages below0.001g, a 1000-fold dilution can be prepared (i.e., one part of the drug plus nine hundred ninety-nine parts of excipient).

Common excipients for dilution powders include lactose, starch, dextrin, sucrose, glucose, calcium sulfate, etc., with lactose being the best.

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