Key Terms
Meaning of Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient (API)
any substance in a compounded preparation that confers pharmacological activity
Meaning of Comminution
the act of reducing a substance to small, fine particles using particle-reducing techniques like trituration, levigation, and pulverization
Meaning of Diluent
an inactive ingredient that is added to the active drug in compounding a tablet, capsule, solution, or topical formulation
Meaning of 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
Meaning of ou
both eyes
Meaning of Agglomerations
clusters, lumps, clumps, or globs of ingredients in a liquid, semiliquid, or powdered vehicle, which are undesired in compounding
Meaning of Component
an ingredient in a compounded product
Meaning of Emollient
an ointment base commercially available from a wholesaler or pharmacy compounding vendor
Meaning of Pipette
a long, thin, calibrated, hollow tube used for measuring small volumes of liquids
Meaning of as
Meaning of Autoclave
a device that generates heat and pressure to sterilize objects, instruments, and measuring vessels and devices
Meaning of Compounded Preparation
a patient-specific medication prepared on-site from individual ingredients, often by a technician under the direct supervision of the pharmacist
Meaning of Excipients
inactive ingredients
Meaning of the Punch Method
a method for filling capsules in which the body of a capsule is repeatedly punched into a cake of medication until the capsule is full
Meaning of ad
right ear
Meaning of Blending
the act of combining two substances by using nongrinding techniques such as spatulation, sifting, and tumbling
Meaning of Compounding
the process of preparing a medication for an individual patient from bulk ingredients according to a prescription from a licensed prescriber
Meaning of Forceps
a stainless steel pincer instrument like a large tweezer used to pick up small objects, such as pharmacy weights
Meaning of Trituration
the process of rubbing, grinding, or pulverizing a substance to create finer particles
Meaning of os
left year
Meaning of Calibrate
to gauge a measuring instrument with a standard scale of reading
Meaning of 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
Meaning of Levigation
a process usually used to reduce the particle size of a solid during the preparation of an ointment
Meaning of Spatulation
a process used to blend ingredients with a spatula; often used in the preparation of creams and ointments
Meaning of od
right eye