Dosage forms

homogeneous mixture composed of only one phase

thumb|alt=Photo with toothpaste from a tube of toothpaste being applied to the bristles of a toothbrush in the foreground|Toothpaste from a tube being applied to the bristles of a toothbrush Toothpaste is a paste or gel dentifrice that is used with a toothbrush to clean and maintain the aesthetics of teeth. Toothpaste is used to promote oral hygiene: it is an abrasive that aids in removing dental plaque and food from the teeth, assists in suppressing halitosis, and delivers active ingredients (most commonly fluoride) to help prevent tooth decay (dental caries) and gum disease (gingivitis). Due

thumb|upright=1.35|Maltose syrup

A colloid is a mixture in which one substance, consisting of microscopically dispersed insoluble particles, is suspended throughout another substance. Some definitions specify that the particles must be dispersed in a liquid, while others extend the definition to include substances like aerosols and gels. The term colloidal suspension refers unambiguously to the overall mixture (although a narrower sense of the word suspension is distinguished from colloids by larger particle size). A colloid has a dispersed phase (the suspended particles) and a continuous phase (the medium of suspension). thu

Smoking is a human behavior which involves the combustion of a substance, usually plant material, and the inhalation of resulting fumes. Today, smoking is mostly practiced by rolling the dried leaves of the tobacco plant into a cigarette. Other forms of tobacco smoking include the use of a smoking tobacco with a pipe or cigar, or using a bong. Cigarette smokers almost always inhale the smoke; most pipe and cigar smokers do not inhale.

heterogeneous mixture

solid form for doses of drugs or medication often taken orally

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smokeless tobacco

thumb|An upturned vial of hair gel|241x241px thumb|Silica gel A gel is a semi-solid that can have properties ranging from soft and weak to hard and tough. Gels are defined as a substantially dilute cross-linked system, which exhibits no flow when in the steady state, although the liquid phase may still diffuse through this system.

chemical substance used as lubricating agent

medication administered into a vein

T-shaped birth control device placed in the womb

relatively stable shell containing medicine

thumb|250px|Rectal bulb syringe to administer smaller enemas.

thumb|right|Iron powder|alt=A small canister of metallic powder A powder is a dry solid composed of many very fine particles that may flow freely when shaken or tilted. Powders are a special sub-class of granular materials, although the terms powder and granular are sometimes used to distinguish separate classes of material. In particular, powders refer to those granular materials that have the finer grain sizes, and that therefore have a greater tendency to form clumps when flowing. Granulars refer to the coarser granular materials that do not tend to form clumps except when wet.

A suppository is a dosage form used to deliver medications by insertion into a body orifice (any opening in the body), where it dissolves or melts to exert local or systemic effects. There are three types of suppositories, each to insert into a different sections: rectal suppositories into the rectum, vaginal suppositories into the vagina, and urethral suppositories into the urethra of a male.

thumb|Lotion and shampoo at the [[Banff Centre]]Lotion is a low-viscosity topical preparation, typically an emulsion of oil and water, intended for application to unbroken skin for moisturizing, protective, cosmetic, or medicinal purposes. By contrast, creams and gels have higher viscosity, typically due to lower water content. Lotions are applied to external skin with bare hands, a brush, a clean cloth, or cotton wool.

saline-containing liquid drug administered through the eye

pharmacological measurement unit for the amount of a biologically active substance

quantity of something (chemical, physical, or biological) that may impact an organism biologically

medical route of administration

wax-like substance for moisturizing and relieving chapped or dry lips

thumb|right|Scheme of a liposome formed by phospholipids in an [[aqueous solution.]] thumb|right|Liposomes are composite structures made of phospholipids and may contain small amounts of other molecules. Though liposomes can vary in size from low micrometer range to tens of micrometers, unilamellar liposomes, as pictured here, are typically in the lower size range with various targeting ligands attached to their surface allowing for their surface-attachment and accumulation in pathological areas for treatment of disease.

thumb|Ampoules containing pharmaceutical products thumb|A large ampoule containing of high-purity caesium

thumb|right|upright|A tincture prepared from Salix alba|white willow bark and [[ethanol, containing salicin (from which salicylic acid-based products like aspirin are derived)]]

thumb|Range of mouthwashes Mouthwash, mouth rinse, oral rinse, or mouth bath is a liquid which is held in the mouth passively or swirled around the mouth by contraction of the perioral muscles and/or movement of the head, and may be gargled, where the head is tilted back and the liquid bubbled at the back of the mouth.

topical preparation usually for application to the skin

medical injection into a muscle

An inhaler (puffer, asthma pump or allergy spray) is a medical device used for delivering medicines into the lungs through the work of a person's breathing. This allows medicines to be delivered to and absorbed in the lungs, which provides the ability for targeted medical treatment to this specific region of the body, as well as a reduction in the side effects of oral medications. There are a wide variety of inhalers, and they are commonly used to treat numerous medical conditions with asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) being among the most notable.

In medicine, a nebulizer (American English) or nebuliser (English) is a drug delivery device used to administer medication in the form of a mist inhaled into the lungs. Nebulizers are commonly used for the treatment of asthma, cystic fibrosis, COPD and other respiratory diseases or disorders. They use oxygen, compressed air or ultrasonic power to break up solutions and suspensions into small aerosol droplets that are inhaled from the mouthpiece of the device. An aerosol is a mixture of gas and solid or liquid particles.

device which removes nitrogen from air

completed form of a pharmaceutical preparation in which prescribed doses of medication are included

condensation of monomers or oligomers dispersed in a colloidal solution (sol) into a biphasic aqueous polymeric network (gel)

medication applied to body surfaces

interface between the oxygen delivery system and the human user

forceful administration under the skin of liquid medication, nutrient, or other fluid through a hollow needle piercing the skin

adhesive patch used to deliver medication through the skin

thumb|right|Gold-plated stem pessary (intrauterine device) from 1920 A pessary is a prosthetic device inserted into the vagina for structural and pharmaceutical purposes. It is most commonly used to treat stress urinary incontinence to stop urinary leakage and to treat pelvic organ prolapse to maintain the location of organs in the pelvic region. It can also be used to administer medications locally in the vagina or as a method of contraception.

thumb|Vial of vaccine and syringe thumb|Examples of modern flat-bottomed plastic vials thumb|Sterile single-use vial of eye drops A vial (also known as a phial or flacon) is a small glass or plastic vessel or bottle, often used to store medication in the form of liquids, powders, or capsules. They can also be used as scientific sample vessels; for instance, in autosampler devices in analytical chromatography. Vial-like glass containers date back to classical antiquity; modern vials are often made of plastics such as polypropylene. There are different types of vials such as a single dose vial a

pharmacologic agents delivered into the nostrils in the form of a mist or spra

thumb|Sloan's Liniment (right) was once a popular over-the-counter drug.

thumb|Label from a bottle of Elixir Raspail, claiming its effectiveness against epidemic diseases

medicated tablet

medical device

A douche is a device used to introduce a stream of water into the body for medical or hygienic reasons, or for the stream of water itself. Douche usually refers to vaginal irrigation, the rinsing of the vagina, but it can also refer to the rinsing of any body cavity. A douche bag is a piece of equipment for douching—a bag for holding the fluid used in douching. To avoid transferring intestinal bacteria to the vagina, the same bag must not be used for both an enema and a vaginal douche.

device used to vaporize the active ingredients of plant material, commonly cannabis, tobacco, or other herbs or blends for the purpose of inhalation

medical process of introducing medication directly into the bone marrow

tablets designed to dissolve in water and release CO2

medical device used to generate a fresh gas flow for anaesthesia

medical device

administration of a substance through the nose

administration of a discrete amount of medication within a specific time

drug that contains two or more active pharmaceutical ingredients

Route of administration of a drug into the sheath space around spinal cord to reach the cerebrospinal fluid

substance that behaves as a solid until a sufficiently large load or stress is applied, at which point it flows like a fluid

form of medicine used to treat or prevent ear infections

medical injecting syringe

Formulation is a term used in various senses in various applications, both the material and the abstract or formal. Its fundamental meaning is the putting together of components in appropriate relationships or structures, according to a formula. Etymologically formula is the diminutive of the Latin forma, meaning shape. In that sense a formulation is created according to the standard for the product.

an emulsion that is stabilized by solid particles (for example colloidal silica) which adsorb onto the interface between the two phases