MPharm Master of Pharmacy Cheat Sheet 2026

The 30 highest-yield MPharm Master of Pharmacy facts, distilled from real exam questions. Print it, save it as a PDF, or study it here — free, no sign-up.

1. Tachyphylaxis is best described as: → Rapid decrease in response following repeated doses in a short time period
2. Fick's first law of diffusion relates steady-state flux (J) to which variables? → J = –D × dC/dx (diffusion coefficient × concentration gradient)
3. Which of these medications is a good alternative for the treatment of gonorrhea? → Ceftriaxone
4. For ophthalmic solutions, which tonicity value (mOsmol/kg) is considered isotonic with lacrimal fluid? → 308 mOsmol/kg
5. Is it possible to determine the acidity strength of an acid solely based on its pKa value? → No, you need additional information.
6. Which ethical principle is MOST directly violated when a pharmacist discloses a patient's HIV status to a third party without consent? → Autonomy
7. Which pharmacokinetic model assumes that the body behaves as a single homogeneous compartment for drug distribution? → One-compartment open model
8. Which rheological property of a gel formulation is described by the term 'thixotropy'? → Time-dependent reversible decrease in viscosity upon shearing, recovering at rest
9. What is the primary purpose of the Lipinski Rule of Five in drug design? → Predict oral bioavailability based on physicochemical properties
10. In the context of prodrug design, which enzyme is responsible for hydrolysis of ester prodrugs in the GI tract and plasma? → Esterases (carboxylesterases)
11. Which inhalation device generates particles through vibration of a liquid droplet mesh or membrane, requiring no propellant? → Soft mist inhaler (SMI) / vibrating mesh nebulizer
12. Which functional group undergoes Phase II glucuronidation conjugation in drug metabolism? → Hydroxyl, carboxyl, amino, and thiol groups
13. A patient with treatment-resistant depression fails SSRIs and SNRIs. Ketamine is considered. What is its proposed antidepressant mechanism? → NMDA receptor antagonism promoting rapid BDNF-mediated synaptogenesis
14. In the preparation of microspheres by solvent evaporation, which method is used when the drug is dissolved in the polymer solution? → Single emulsion (O/W) solvent evaporation
15. Which parameter in the Noyes-Whitney equation directly describes the rate of drug dissolution? → Surface area of the dissolving solid
16. What legal concept defines the maximum period within which a crime can be prosecuted? → Statute of limitations
17. The Michaelis-Menten constant (Km) in drug metabolism represents: → The drug concentration at which metabolism rate is half of Vmax
18. What type of model describes physical laws of nature as not variable and not dependent on probability? → Deterministic Model
19. In a drug therapy problem (DTP) framework used by clinical pharmacists, which category describes a patient needing additional medication? → Needs additional drug therapy
20. Which mechanism explains the antiarrhythmic action of adenosine in paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia? → Activates A1 receptors, hyperpolarizing AV nodal cells and slowing conduction
21. True lubricants reduce the force needed to eject a tablet by lowering the force left in the die wall. → FALSE
22. What is the mechanism of action of colchicine, a plant-derived drug used for gout? → Binds tubulin and inhibits microtubule polymerization to reduce neutrophil migration
23. In a dose-response study, the EC₅₀ represents: → The drug concentration producing 50% of the maximal effect
24. Reserpine, derived from Rauwolfia serpentina, lowers blood pressure by which mechanism? → Depletion of catecholamines from storage vesicles in adrenergic neurons
25. In Karl Fischer titration, what is the primary analyte being quantified? → Water content
26. For which of the following medicines does pyridoxine work as an effective countermeasure? → Isoniazid
27. What would be the volume of distribution (Vd) for a drug that remains exclusively within the vascular compartment? → Low
28. Medications that are attached to albumin lack activity. → TRUE
29. What is the purpose of the 'pore former' component added to ethylcellulose membrane coatings on pellets? → To dissolve and create micropores that control drug permeation
30. The area under the ROC curve (AUC-ROC) value of 0.50 for a diagnostic biomarker indicates: → The biomarker performs no better than random chance