MBARARA UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Faculty of Medicine, Department of Pharmacy (MUARL)
P.O. Box 1410, Mbarara Uganda. Tel. 0485661002
Website: www.must.ac.ug
In pharmacy the term ‘cream’ is reserved for external preparations. Creams are viscous semi-
solid emulsions for external use. Medicaments can be dissolved or suspended in creams. A cream
may be ‘water-in-oil’ or ‘oil-in-water’ depending on the emulsifying agent used. A cream is
always miscible with its continuous phase. * Water-in-oil creams (oily creams) as bases – These
are produced by the emulsifying agents of natural origin (e.g. beeswax, wool alcohols or wool
fat). These bases have good emollient properties. They are creamy, white or translucent and
rather stiff. * Oil-in-water creams (aqueous creams) as bases – These are produced by the
synthetic waxes (e.g. macrogol and cetomacrogol). They are the best bases to use for rapid
absorption and penetration of drugs. They are thin, white and smooth in consistency. The British
Pharmacopoeia (BP) definition is as follows: Creams are formulated to provide preparations that
are essentially miscible with the skin secretion. They are intended to be applied to the skin or
certain mucous membranes for protective, therapeutic or prophylactic purposes
especially where an occlusive effect is not necessary.
Incorporation of solids into a cream base
If the cream base has been prepared from first principles, the solid can be incorporated into the
cream as it cools. Alternatively, if using a pre-prepared base, soluble and insoluble solids may be
incorporated using the method employed for insoluble solids. * Soluble solids should be added to
the molten cream at the lowest possible temperature and the mixture stirred until cold.* Insoluble
solids should be incorporated using an ointment tile and spatula. If there is more than one
powder to be added these should be triturated together in a mortar using the ‘doubling-up’
technique prior to transfer to an ointment tile.
Prescription
A 28-year-old man presented himself to the Pharmacy where you work as an Intern Pharmacist
with prescription from the hospital as shown.
Patient: Mr David Brown
Age: 32
Prescription: Cetrimide Cremor BP
Directions: Apply to the abrasion tds
Mitte: 50g
Product formula
NO. Ingredients Quantity
1 Cetrimide Bp 5g
2 Cetostearyl Alcohol Bp 50g
3 Liquid Paraffin Bp 500g
4 Freshly boiled and cooled purified water 445g
Procedure
a) First it is necessary to calculate the quantity of ingredients required to produce 50g of the
cream. Write a new product formula
b) Weigh X g Cetostearyl Alcohol BP on a Class II or electronic balance.
c) Weigh Y g of Liquid Paraffin BP on a Class II or electronic balance.
d) Weigh Z g of freshly boiled and cooled purified water on a Class II or electronic balance.
e) Weigh 150 mg of Cetrimide BP on a Class II or electronic balance
f) Melt the Cetostearyl Alcohol BP in an evaporating basin over a water bath to a temperature
not higher than 60 C
g) Add the Liquid Paraffin BP to the molten Cetostearyl Alcohol BP and remove from the
heat.
h) Stir to form the OILY phase.
i) Transfer the freshly boiled and cooled purified water to a beaker and heat to 60 C
j) Add the Cetrimide BP to the freshly boiled and cooled purified water and remove from
the heat.
k) Stir to form the AQUEOUS phase.
i) When the oily phase and the aqueous phase are both at about 60 C, add the aqueous
phase to the
oily phase with constant, not too vigorous stirring.
Point of clarity – Step l)
Stirring is constant and not too vigorous to ensure that there are no ‘cold spots’ within the cream
as
these would hasten cooling in discrete areas and result in a lumpy cream.
m) Stir until cool enough to pack
Questions
1) Interpret the prescription, and make unofficial formulation out of official product
formulation given.
2) What advice could you give to patient concerning this preparation.
3) Write the product label and its dermatological use, mechanism of action (reference is
needed)
4) Why is hygiene particularly important when preparing creams?
5) Mention at least four properties of the active principle in the product
6) What are the two classes of creams well known to you, suggest to what class does yours
belong, give a reason(s) to support your answer?
