Eye drops are sterile, isotonic, and pyrogen-free preparations meant for instillation into the cul-de-sac of the eye for irrigatory, lubricative, diagnostic, or therapeutic activity. The container should be labeled “For external use only,” and it should be used within the stipulated time after opening the seal of the container as directed on the label.

Sprays are the liquid preparations of medicaments in aqueous, alcoholic, or glycerin-containing vehicle and are meant for application to the nose or throat by means of an atomizer or nebulizer. Coarse droplets of the medicaments will be administered to the upper respiratory tract, whereas very fine droplets penetrate into the respiratory tract. Aqueous sprays that…

Lotions are liquid dosage forms for external use. They are generally meant for application to the skin and are applied directly without friction, with the help of some absorbent material such as cotton wool, or are charged on to cotton wool or gauze and kept on the needed part of the body. Lotions may be…

Gargles are aqueous solutions containing antiseptics, antibiotics, and anesthetics. They are used for treating infections of pharynx and nasopharynx by forcing the air from lungs through the gargle that is held in the throat. Gargles must be diluted with water prior to use. They are generally dispensed in concentrated form and are pleasantly flavored and…

Mouthwash or mouth rinse is a product that is used to enhance oral hygiene. Mouth washes are aqueous solutions often in concentrated form, containing one or more active ingredients and excipients. They can be used for two purposes—therapeutic and cosmetic. Therapeutic uses include reducing plaque, gingivitis, dental caries, and stomatitis. Cosmetic uses include reducing bad…

Paints are solutions or dispersions of one or more medicaments intended for application to the skin or, in some cases, to the mucous membrane. They contain a volatile solvent, which evaporates quickly to leave a dry or resinous film of drug. Throat paints are more viscous due to their high content of glycerin. They are…

Liniment is a viscous, medicated topical preparation for application to the skin. It is always applied with friction on unbroken skin. A liniment is an external tincture and is to be rubbed onto sore muscles and sprains. It is usually prepared with isopropyl alcohol or ethyl alcohol. It is a solution or mixture of various…

Enemas are aqueous or oily solutions or suspensions that are employed to evacuate the bowel or for cleansing, therapeutic, and diagnostic purposes. Enemas are usually warmed to body temperature and are administered slowly. They should be stored in a cool place and in complete darkness. An expiry date of only two days after issue is advisable.…

A suppository is a solid or semisolid mass meant to be inserted into any of the body orifices such as rectum, vagina, ear, nasal, and urethra to provide either local or systemic effect. They are designed to soften and melt or to dissolve or disintegrate at the body temperature. Suppositories provide systemic effect when used…

Jellies are transparent or translucent nongreasy, semisolid preparation meant for external application to the mucus membrane. They are prepared from natural gums, such as tragacanth, pectin, sodium alginates, or from semisynthetic derivatives such as methyl cellulose and sodium carboxymethyl cellulose. There are three types of jellies, namely medicated jellies containing water soluble drugs, lubricating jellies,…