Handfilled Capsules

Rx Theophylline 118 mg Ephedrine sulfate 24 mg Lactose qs Dispense cap #5 Sig: 1-2 caps q4h prn breathing Refills: 3 Procedure 1.Place a suitable amount of lactose on an ointment slab or a weighing paper. Using a metal spatula, arrange the powder into a compact, flat powder bed of uniform thickness. The height of the powder bed should be just slightly shorter than the long dimension of the body piece of the capsule shell. 2.Tare an empty capsule shell on an electronic balance. Separate the capsule cap from the body and repeatedly press the open end of the body downward into the lactose powder bed. When the capsule body is full and compact, replace the cap on the body loosely. 3.Wipe out the powder outside the capsule shell and measure the weight of lactose on the balance. 4.Repeat the same procedure for theophylline and ephedrine sulfate, separately using new empty capsule shells. 5.Calculate the lactose displacement weight for the quantity of the drugs needed to fill each capsule. 6.Calculate the quantity of lactose needed to fill each “real” capsule. 7.Calculate the quantity of each ingredient to fill the prescription. It is recommended that you make enough powder for two extra capsules because there will be some loss in the blending process. 8.Blend the powders in a mortar using geometric dilution. 9.Place the powder mixture on an ointment slab or a weighing paper, make a block and punch into capsules. 10.Measure the weight of the content of each capsule (actual weight) and use the data for weight variation test. 11.Place clean capsules in a capsule vial with a child-resistant closure and label it appropriately.