Pharmaceutical Formulation

**Semantic type:** Conceptual Entity

**Definition:** The composition of a dosage form, including the characteristics of its raw materials and the operations required to process it.Formulation factors include chemical nature of the drug (ester, salt, complex, etc), drug solubility in water and organic solvents, particle size and surface area, type of dosage form (solution, suspension, capsule, tablet) and the excipients and processes used in the manufacturing of the drug delivery systems. The design of optimal drug delivery systems is thus an important part of providing an effective therapeutic.Official formulations for approved agents are presented in such books as the National Formulary and US Pharmacopeia. Whereas at one time, these were detailed and almost recipe-like, more recent entries may be limited to specifying the formula and imposing a standard limit for the active agent.

**Synonyms:** - Drug Formulation