B.Pharm. Bachelor of Pharmacy Bachelor of Pharmacy (B.Pharm.) Pharmaceutics 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: In tablet manufacturing, the process of compressing granules into a tablet is called:
- Slugging
- Compression (Correct answer)
- Granulation
- Blending
Correct answer: Compression
Compression is the final step where granules are fed into a die and punched under high pressure to form tablets.
Question 2: Which excipient functions as a disintegrant in tablet formulations?
- Magnesium stearate
- Microcrystalline cellulose
- Sodium starch glycolate (Correct answer)
- Polyethylene glycol 6000
Correct answer: Sodium starch glycolate
Sodium starch glycolate is a superdisintegrant that rapidly absorbs water and swells, breaking the tablet apart.
Question 3: The Noyes-Whitney equation describes the rate of drug dissolution as dependent on:
- Melting point and crystal form
- Surface area and concentration gradient (Correct answer)
- Molecular weight and log P
- Viscosity and temperature only
Correct answer: Surface area and concentration gradient
The Noyes-Whitney equation: dM/dt = DA(Cs−C)/h, where surface area and concentration gradient are key variables.
Question 4: Enteric coating on tablets is designed to dissolve at a pH above:
- 2.0
- 4.0
- 5.5 (Correct answer)
- 7.0
Correct answer: 5.5
Enteric polymers like cellulose acetate phthalate dissolve above pH 5.5–6.0, allowing intact passage through the acidic stomach.
Question 5: Which parameter best describes the spread of residence times of molecules passing through a flow-through system in pharmacokinetics?
- Clearance
- Mean residence time (MRT) (Correct answer)
- Half-life
- Area under the curve (AUC)
Correct answer: Mean residence time (MRT)
MRT represents the average time a drug molecule resides in the body and accounts for all disposition processes.
Question 6: A drug formulated as a controlled-release pellet system is often coated with ethylcellulose because it:
- Promotes rapid drug release
- Forms a water-insoluble membrane controlling diffusion (Correct answer)
- Enhances drug solubility in GI fluids
- Acts as a glidant to improve flow
Correct answer: Forms a water-insoluble membrane controlling diffusion
Ethylcellulose is a water-insoluble polymer that forms a rate-controlling membrane allowing slow diffusion of drug.
Question 7: Isotonicity adjustment of ophthalmic solutions is critical because solutions that are hypotonic can cause:
- Precipitation of drug crystals
- Shrinkage of corneal epithelial cells
- Swelling and rupture of corneal cells (Correct answer)
- Increased drug ionization
Correct answer: Swelling and rupture of corneal cells
Hypotonic solutions have lower osmolarity than tears, causing water to flow into corneal cells by osmosis, leading to swelling.
B.Pharm. Bachelor of Pharmacy Bachelor of Pharmacy (B.Pharm.) Pharmaceutics 3
In tablet manufacturing, the process of compressing granules into a tablet is called: