Definition
Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient (API)
any substance in a compounded preparation that confers pharmacological activity
Agglomerations
clusters, lumps, clumps, or globs of ingredients in a liquid, semiliquid, or powdered vehicle, which are undesired in compounding
Autoclave
a device that generates heat and pressure to sterilize objects, instruments, and measuring vessels and devices
Beyond Use Date (BUD)
the date after which a drug should not be used once it has been removed from the intact container
Blending
the act of combining two substances by using nongrinding techniques such as spatulation, sifting, and rumbling
Calibrate
to gauge a measuring instrument with a standard scale of reading
Class III Prescription Balance
a two-pan balance used to weigh material (between 120 mg and 120 g) with a sensitivity rating of +/- 6 mg; also known as a Class A prescription balance
Comminution
the act of reducing a substance to small, fine particles using particle-reducing techniques like trituration, levigation, and pulverization
Compounded Preparation
a patient-specific medication prepared on-site from individual ingredients, often by a technician under the direct supervision of the pharmacist
Compounded Sterile Preparation
a medication prepared with aseptic technique in a sterile, cleanroom facility
Compounding
the process of preparing a medication for an individual patient from bulk ingredients according to a prescription from a licensed prescriber
Compounding Record
a printout for a specific patient, including the amounts or weights of all ingredients with national drug code calculations and instructions for compounding: used by the technician to document a compounded medication for a patient
Diluent
an inactive ingredient that is added to the active drug in compounding a tablet, capsule, solution, or topical formulation
Component
an ingredient in a compounded product
Emollient
an ointment base commercially available from a wholesaler or pharmacy compounding vendor
Excipients
inactive ingredients
Extemporaneous Compounding
compounding products that are done for a specific patient's immediate need but not commercially available; another name for nonsterile compounding in a community pharmacy
Forceps
a stainless steel pincher instrument like a large tweezer used to pick up small objects, such as pharmacy weights
Geometric Dilution Method
a process that uses a mortar and pestle to gradually combine several active ingredients (drugs) with inactive ingredients (diluent) to produce a more homogenous product
Graduated Cylinder
a flask used for accurately measuring liquids
Levigation
a process usually used to reduce the particle size of a solid during the preparation of an ointment
Meniscus
the moon-shaped or concave appearance of a liquid in a graduated cylinder; used during the volume measurement process, with the center being the accepted level
Mortar and Pestle
equipment used for mixing and grinding pharmaceutical ingredients
Non-Sterile Compounding
the preparation of a medication from several pharmaceutical ingredients in an appropriate quantity and dosage form in response to a prescription written by a physician; sometimes referred to as extemporaneous compounding
Ointment Slab
a flat, hard, nonabsorbent surface used for mixing compounds; also known as a compounding slab