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Practical 1 SBP3301

The document describes systems of weights and measures used in pharmacology, including the metric and imperial systems. It provides conversion factors and guidelines for calculating drug dosages based on a drug's concentration, a patient's weight, and recommended dosage. Sample problems at the end demonstrate calculating the amount of drug required for different patients or animals based on these factors.

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139 views4 pages

Practical 1 SBP3301

The document describes systems of weights and measures used in pharmacology, including the metric and imperial systems. It provides conversion factors and guidelines for calculating drug dosages based on a drug's concentration, a patient's weight, and recommended dosage. Sample problems at the end demonstrate calculating the amount of drug required for different patients or animals based on these factors.

Uploaded by

Charles Garcia
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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SBP3301 FARMAKOLOGI

SYSTEM OF WEIGHTS AND MEASURES


1. THE METRIC SYSTEM
This system is being accepted as the international standard. The basis of the metric system is an
arbitrary unit of the linear measure, the meter, from which other units of the system were derived:
The liter: 1,000 cubic centimeters is the cube of one tenth of a meter, and is the unit of volume
The gramme: is the unit of weight, and is the weight of a cubic centimeter of water at 40 C.
1.1 Weights (Mass)
1 kilogram (kg.)
1 gramme (G)
1 milligram (mg)

= 1,000 grammes
= 1,000 milligrams. The official abbreviation is g, but in
prescription writing the symbol G should be used to avoid
possible confusion with gr (grain)
= 1,000 micrograms (mcg). The official abbreviation is ug, but in
prescription writing the symbol mcg should be used to avoid
possible confusion with mg (milligram)

1.2 Measures (fluid volume)


1 liter (l)

= 1,000 milliliters (ml)

1.3 Length
1 Meter (m)
1 Millimeter
1 Micron

= 100 centimeters (cm)


= 1,000 millimeters (mm)
= 1,000 microns (u)
= 1,000 millimicrons (mu)

2. THE IMPERIAL SYSTEM


This system is complicated by being divided into two separate systems with some units of common
name but different value, particularly with respect to units of weight. The older Apothecaries System is
still used in some places for pharmaceutical measures and prescription writing, while the Avoirdupois
System is used for commercial transactions.
2.1 Weights
Both Apothecaries and Avoirdupois Systems have in common the grain (gr) which is different values
and different symbols.
2.1.1 Apothecaries weight
20 grains (gr)
3 scruples
8 drachms

= 1 scruple ()
= 1 drachm ()
= 1 ounce ( )

= 60 grains
= 480 grains

12 ounces

= 1 pound (lb)

= 5760 grains

Note: in prescription writing the weight denomination is expressed by the symbol followed by the number in
Roman numerals. These number have a line drawn above them and above this is a dot is placed above
each unit numeral. One half may be abbreviated __. Other fractional quantities are written normally.
ss
2.1.2 Avoirdupois weight
1 pound (lb)
1ounces (oz)

= 7,000 grains
= 16 ounces
= 437.5 grains (gr)

Notes :
1. Avoirdupois weights should be written in Arabic numerals followed by the unit symbol
2. The Apothecaries ounce (480 grains) is heavier than the Avoirdupois ounce (437.5 grains).
Conversely the Avoirdupois pound (7,000 grains) is heavier than the Apothecaries pound.
2.2 Fluid Measures
Here both the Apothecaries and Avoirdupois Systems have the identical values, although different
symbols are again used. The rules for the choice of numerals and positioning of symbols are the same as for
the weight of the corresponding system.
Apothecaries symbol
1 minim*

Avoirdupois symbol
1m

* 1 minim is approximately equal to one drop of water


Apothecaries symbol
60 minims = 1 fluid drachm
8 fluid drachm = 1 fluid ounce
20 fluid ounces = 1 pint
2 pints = 1 quart
8 pints = 1 gallon

Avoirdupois symbol
1 fl. dr.
1 fl. oz.
1 pt
1 qt
1 gal.

3.0 Approximate Imperial-Metric Equivalents


3.1 Weight
1 grain
1 ounce (Avdp.)
1 ounce (Apoth.)
1 pound (Avdp.)

= 65 mg
= 28 G
= 31 G
= 454 G

100 mg
1G
1 kg

= 16.9 m
= 15.4 gr.
= 2.2 lb

= 3,5 ml.
= 28.4 ml.
= 568 ml.
= 4.5 l

1 ml
1l

= 16.9 m
= 35 fl. oz
= 1.8 pt
= 0.22 gal

3.2 Measures3
60 minims
1 fl.oz
1 pt
1 gal.
3.3 Household Measures
A drop
A teaspoonful
A dessertspoonful
A tablespoonful
A cupful

= 1 minim
= 60 minims
= 120 minims
= fl. oz.
= 8 fl. oz

= 0.06 ml
= 3.5 ml
= 7 ml
= 14 ml
= 227 ml

Note: The American Standard pint contains only 16 fluid ounces. Accordingly American pints, quarts
and gallon are four-fifths of the corresponding standard Imperial measure.

4.0 Calculation of drug dosage


Although there are examples to the contrary, recommended drug dosage is most commonly
expressed as units of drug weight per unit of animal body weight. Units of drug weight most commonly used
are micrograms (ug), milligram (mg), grams (gm) and grains (gr). Units of body weight most commonly used
are kilograms (kg) and pounds (lb).
Commercial drug preparations include tablets, boluses and solutions or suspensions, drug
concentration will appeared on the drug label. In the case of solutions or suspensions, drug will be
expressed in one of the following ways:
4.1 Units weights per unit volume:
eg:

10 mg/ml
25 gm/l
3 gr/oz

4.2 Dilution (weight in gm : volume in ml)


e.g:

4.3 Percent:
e.g:

1:1000 (this is equal to 1 gm/l, 1 mg/ml, or 1 x 10 -3 gm/ml)


1: 50,000 (this is equal to 1 gm/50 l, 0.02 gm/l, 0.02 mg/ml or 2 x 10 -5 gm/ml)
1:1,000,000 (this is equal to 1 gm/1000 l, 1 mg/l, 1 ug/ml or 1 x 10 -6 gm/ml)
(weight in gm) x 100
(volume in ml)
100 % solution contains 1000 mg/ml
10 % solution contains 100 mg/ml
1 % solution contains 10 mg/ml
1.1 % solution contains 1 mg/ml
1.1 % solution contains 0.1 mg/ml
0.001% solution contains 0.01 mg/ml

Notes: Do not confuse this expression of drug concentration as percent solution with the common clinical
chemistry usage of mg % (mg/100 ml) to express concentration of a substance in body fluids. Drug
concentrations in commercial drug preparations are almost never expressed as mg %.
In calculation drug dosage, you will often be faced with situation like the following example:
Recommended dosage of drug X : 22 mg/kg body weight
Concentration of drug solution : 100 mg/ml
Weight of animal: 50 lb
The simplest way to accomplish the necessary calculation (and that can often be done in
your head) is to transform either the body weight units or the drug dose units ( e.g. 22 mg/kg equals
to 10 mg/lb) and then to calculate the volume of solution per unit body weight that must be
administered (e.g. for a dose of 10 mg/lb, one would need 0.1 ml of the 100 mg/ml solution per
pound). Thus, for a 50 lb animal, the dose would be 5.0 ml.
Many therapeutic misadventures are due to goofs, in calculating drug dosage. Since both
the therapeutic range and the margin of safety are quite narrow for many drugs, accurate calculation
of drug dosage can often mean success and disaster. You will be asked to make calculations of drug
dosage both in laboratory and examinations in this course.

Sample Problems in Dosage Calculation


1. A local anesthetic solution is labeled 1.5 % procaine HCL and 1: 50,000 epinephrine HCl. What is the
concentration of each drug in mg/ml?
2. You have 1 fl oz of antiseptic solution labeled 0.1 % active ingredient. In order to flush a wound with
this drug at a concentration of 1: 10,000, how much water would you add to the 1 fl oz antiseptic
solution?
3. You wish to administer a sulfonamide solution intravenously to a 45 kg sheep. The recommended dose
is 200 mg/kg and the solution is labeled 33.3 % w/v. What volume should be administered?
4. Some commercial drugs preparations of Na pentobarbital anesthetic are labeled one grain per cc.
Administer at dose of 1 cc per 5 lb body weight. What is the dose in mg/kg?
5. You are testing the effect of a drug on the blood pressure in 4 rats with the following body weight: 250,
240, 245, 265 g. Recommended dosage is 50 mg/kg.
a. Calculate the total amount of drug required for the test
b. If the drug is in form of solution (28 mg/ml) calculate the amount in ml required for each rat.
6. You are preparing 1 L of 0.25M Sodium Chloride. How much sodium chloride is needed?
(Atomic weight Na = 23, Cl = 35.5)
7. You have 100 mL stock solution of 0.25M sodium chloride. How do you prepare a 150 mM working
solution?
a. Prepare the working solution from all the stock solution.
b. Prepare 10 ml of working solution with the concentration of 150mM.
8. Stock solution of adrenalin is 1:1000. Prepare a working solution of 0.5 mg/mL.

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