Advantages and Disadvantages of Liquid Dosage Form | Definition, Classification, Types, Beneits and Drawbacks

Advantages and Disadvantages of Liquid Dosage Form: These are liquid drug arrangements that contain a course of dissolving or suspending a medication substance and excipients in a reasonable dissolvable or combination of solvents. The tablets are intended to create quick restorative results without gastrointestinal issues or potentially give the greatest remedial reaction. Drugs can be given as arrangements or scatterings in fluid structure. The scattering of a functioning compound is a multiphase or a two-ease process in which one more part is added to the recipe, though drug arrangements are clear and homogeneous fluids that contain a functioning substance and a dissolvable.

Liquid Dosage Forms are valuable for individuals who find it challenging to swallow strong types of medicine. A few added substance fixings are expected for the readiness of fluid dose structures. The rundown incorporates vehicles, stabilizers, and additives. Alongside this, it additionally incorporates suspending specialists, emulsifiers, solubilizers, shadings, and flavours in fluid measurements structures.

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What is a Liquid Dosage Form? Advantages and Disadvantages of Liquid Dosage Form 2022

When a liquid form of a dose of a drug is used as a drug or medication aimed at for consumption or administration this is known as Liquid dosage form. Generally, the products we use like Mouthwash, ear drops, eye drops, lotions, suspensions, emulsions, etc are considered as liquid dosage forms. It is available in oral and parenteral routes like injections, inhalation, nasal, etc. These are of two types

• Monophasic liquid dosage form
• Biphasic liquid dosage form

Let us see them in brief :

1. Monophasic liquid dosage form- This type of liquid dosage consists of only one phase I.e. it is available in one form and is used in the same way without having much involvement of other materials. For example, lotion which we use can only be used for external body parts and is directly applied without mixing any other material.
2. Biphasic liquid dosage form– This type of liquid dosage form consists of two phases I.e. it is available in one form but has to be dispersed to another material to start its work. For example, a suspension is a medication in which finely divided solid particles are divided into a liquid to start working.

Let’s see a few advantages and disadvantages of the Liquid dosage form.

• Advantages of Liquid Dosage Form
• Disadvantages of Liquid dosage form
• Comparison Table for Advantages And Disadvantages of Liquid Dosage Form
• FAQ’s on Pros and Cons of Liquid Dosage form

Advantages of Liquid Dosage Form

Let us look upon a few advantages of liquid dosage form

• Best for small children and elderly people: Small children and elderly people have to struggle a lot to take capsules which are often bitter to taste. Thus, syrup and other liquids are better options for them to take medication. Children often love the taste of the liquid dosage.
• Liquid dosage is more flexible: Measurement of the different volumes can easily be improved according to the dose of the drug. Doses may vary from per tablespoon to milliliter. But the same cannot be seen in solid dosage. This makes liquid dosage more flexible as compared to solid dosage.
• Comes in different flavours: Liquid dosage mostly comes in different flavours which attracts the people the most. They are more likely to choose the flavours that they love most as more than one flavour are available at the market in large number.
• Best suits for a few medical issues: Medical issues such as cough, mostly liquid dosage forms are expected. The tendency of the liquid dosage to resolve the issue of cough is more effective as compared to solid dosage.
• Psychological effect: Along with flavours the packaging of liquid dosage comes in attractive containers that people want to buy without a second thought. Thus, there is a psychological benefit of taking the liquid dosage. Children especially are fond of attractive packaging.
• Best as Antacid and absorbent: Liquid dosage of antacid and absorbent are most effective. The solid form still doesn’t work the best way as compared to the liquid dose.
• Solid capsules are difficult to take: Sometimes it’s really difficult to swallow capsules even for young people so they prefer a liquid dosage for any disease.
• Suits for special patients: it’s suitable for patients who are mentally ill, infants, and geriatric patients.

Disadvantages of Liquid Dosage Form

Now, let us look upon a few disadvantages liquid dosage form

• Bulky and inconvenient to store: The containers used to store the liquid dosage are often big as compared to the solid dosage that comes in a compact packet. Thus it’s inconvenient to store. Thus this is one of the disadvantages of the liquid dosage form.
• Shelf life is shorter: one of the disadvantages of liquid dosage is that it has a shorter shelf life. The reason behind it is its liquid in nature.
• Medicines have to be stored in special conditions: Numerous vaccines need to be stored in the refrigerator to keep them safe and to protect them from spoiling. Thus medicines of liquid dose generally need to store in a cold place.
• Need preservatives: As the liquid dosage comes in different flavours certain preservatives have to be added to ensure that may not get spoiled due to microbes. This preservative increases the capability of liquid dose to stay long but adds on the extra cost to the medicine.
• Chemical degradation: In liquid dosage chemical degradation is more pronounced as compared to solid dosage.
• Containers can break: The containers used to store the liquid dosage generally are glass. Thus, the chances for breaking up of container become high. For example, vaccines are only stored in small glass containers if once it will break the liquid left will be of no use. Thus we need to handle it with care and special packaging is also done to prevent the container from breaking.
• Production cost is high: The cost of packaging, preservatives, and containers adds up to the cost of the production of liquid dosage this the cost becomes high.
• Microbial growth: As soon as liquid dosage containers are opened the chances of microbial attack increase if preservatives are not added then the chances of liquid dosage getting spoiled will be increased.

Comparison Table for Advantages And Disadvantages of Liquid Dosage Form

FAQ’s on Pros and Cons of Liquid Dosage Form

Question 1.
What do you mean by preservatives?

Answer:
The substance used for protecting food from getting spoiled is known as preservatives.

Question 2.
What is the meaning of Dose?

Answer:
A proportion of medication taken at a time is known as Dose.

Question 3.
What are the benefits of liquid dosage form?

Answer:
Best for small children and elderly people. Liquid dosage is more flexible. Comes in different flavours Best suits for a few medical issues Psychological effect Best as Antacid and absorbent.

Question 4.
What are the drawbacks of liquid dosage form?

Answer:
Bulky and inconvenient to store, Shelf life is shorter Medicines have to be stored in special conditions. Need preservatives. Chemical degradation.