Calculation 05 Concentrations

29/Nov/2011

1. How many grams of potassium permanganate

should be used in compounding the following 14. What is the ratio strength (w/v) of a solution made
prescription? by dissolving five tablets, each containing 2.25 g of
Rx Potassium permanganate 0.02% sodium chloride, in enough water to make 1800
Purified water ad 250.0 mL?
Sig. u.d.
15. How many milligrams of gentian violet should be
2. How many grams of aminobenzoic acid should be used in preparing the following solution?
used in preparing 240 mL of a 5% solution in 70% Rx Gentian violet solution 1 : 10,000 500 mL
alcohol? Sig. gtt u.d.

3. How many millilitres of liquefied phenol should be 16. How many milligrams of hexachlorophene should
used in compounding the following prescription? be used in compounding the following prescription?
Rx Liquefied phenol 2.5% Rx Hexachlorophene 1: 400
Calamine lotion ad 240.0 mL Hydrophilic ointment ad 10 g
Sig. For external use Sig. P.a.a

4. What is the percentage strength (v/v) of a solution 17. Rx Antipyrine 5%

of 800 g of a liquid with a specific gravity of 0.800 in Glycerol ad 60.0
enough water to make 4000 mL? Sig. gtt. v a.d.
How many grams of antipyrine should be used in
5. Chloroform liniment contains 30 %(v/v) of preparing the prescription?
chloroform. How many millilitres of chloroform
liniment can be prepared from 1 lb of chloroform 18. Rx Sol. Ephedrine sulphate 1/2 % 30 mL
having specific gravity of 1.475? Sig. For the nose
How many milligrams of ephedrine sulphate should
6. How should you prepare 100 mL of a 2% (w/w) be used in preparing the prescription?
solution of a drug substance in a solvent having a
specific gravity of 1.25? 19. Rx Resin of podophyllum 25%
Compound benzoin tincture ad 30.0
7. If 5 g of boric acid are dissolve in 100 mL of water, Sig. Apply to papillomas t.i.d.
what is the percentage strength (w/w) of the How many grams of resin of podophyllum should
solution? be used in preparing the prescription?

8. What weight of a 5% (w/w) solution can be 20. How many milligrams of a certified red colour
prepared from 2 g of active ingredient? should be used in preparing 5 litres of a 0.01 %
solution?
9. How many milligrams of hydrocortisone should be
used in compounding the following prescription? 21. Rx Potassium iodide solution (10%)
1
Rx Hydrocortisone /8 % Ephedrine sulphate solution (3%) aa 15.0 mL
Hydrophilic ointment ad 10.0 g Sig. gtt v in water u.d.
Sig. P.a.a. How many grams each of potassium iodide and
ephedrine sulphate should be used in preparing the
10. How many grams of benzocaine should be used in prescription?
compounding the following prescription?
Rx Benzocaine 2% 22. How many milligrams of methylparaben are needed
Polyethylene glycol base ad 2.0 to prepare 240 mL of a solution containing 0.12 %
Ft. Supp. d.t.d. no 24 (w/v) of methylparaben?
Sig. insert one u.d.
23. If a pharmacist dissolves the contents of eight
11. If ibuprofen tablets are permitted to contain not less capsules, each containing 250 mg of clindamycin
than 90% and not more than 110% of the labelled hydrochloride, into a sufficient amount of Ionax
amount of ibuprofen, what would be the permissible astringent liquid to prepare 120 mL of solution, what
range in content of the drug, expressed in is the percentage strength (w/v) of clindamycin
milligrams, for ibuprofen tablets labelled 200 mg hydrochloride in the prescription?
each?
24. If 20 mL of a 7.5 %(w/v) sodium bicarbonate
12. Express 0.02% as a ratio strength. injection are added to 500 mL of a 5% dextrose
injection, what is the percentage strength (w/v) of
13. Express 1 : 4000 as a percentage strength. sodium bicarbonate in the product?

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(w/v) of hetastarch and 0.9%(w/v) of sodium

chloride. How many grams of each agent would be
25. A formula for a mouth rinse contain 1/10 % (w/v) of present in 250 mL of the infusion solution?
zinc chloride. How many grams of zinc chloride
should be used in preparing 25 litres of the mouth 39. A pharmacist adds 10 mL of a 20 %(w/v) solution of
rinse? potassium iodide to 500 mL of 5% dextrose water
for parenteral infusion. What is the percentage
26. Mellaril-S suspension contains 25 mg of strength of potassium iodide in the infusion
thioridazine per 5 mL of suspension. What is the solution?
percentage strength (w/v) of the thioridazine in the
suspension? 40. If a dry powder mixture of the antibiotic amoxicillin
is diluted with water to 80 mL to prepare a
27. An injection contains 50 mg of pentobarbital sodium prescription containing 125 mg of amoxicillin per 5
in each millilitre of solution. What is the percentage mL;
strength (w/v) of the solution? (a) How many grams of amoxicillin are in the dry
mixture?
28. If 425 g of sucrose are dissolved in enough water to (b) What is the percentage strength of amoxicillin
make 500 mL, what is the percentage strength in the filled prescription?
(w/v) of the solution?
41. If 10 mL of a nitroglycerin injection (5 mg of
29. An ear drop formula contain 54 mg of antipyrine nitroglycerin per millilitre) are added to make a litre
and 14 mg of benzocaine in each millilitre of of intravenous fluid, what is the percentage (w/v) of
solution. Calculate the percentage strength (w/v) of nitroglycerin in the final product?
each ingredient in the formula.
42. How many grams of pilocarpine nitrate are required
30. How many litres of 2% (w/v) iodine tincture can be to prepare 30 mL of an ophthalmic solution
made form 123 g of iodine? containing 0.25% of the drug?

31. How many millilitres of 0.9 %(w/v) sodium chloride 43. How many millilitres of resorcinol monoacetate
solution can be made from 1 lb of sodium chloride? should be used to prepare 450 mL of a 15%(v/v)
lotion?
32. How many litres of a 0.9%(w/v) solution of sodium
chloride can be prepared from 50 tablets, each 44. A sunscreen lotion contains 5%(v/v) of menthyl
containing 2.25 g of sodium chloride? salicylate. How many millilitres of menthyl salicylate
should be used in preparing 3 litres of the lotion?
33. If an intravenous injection contains 20% (w/v) of
mannitol, how many millilitres of the injection 45. Peppermint spirit contains 10%(v/v) of peppermint
should be administered to provide a patient with oil. How many millilitres of peppermint oil should be
100 g of mannitol? used in preparing 900 mL of the spirit?

34. An inhalant aerosol contains 0.25% (w/v) of 46. What is the percentage strength (v/v) if 225 g of a
isoproterenol hydrochloride. If each depression of liquid having a specific gravity of 0.8 are added to
the aerosol valve delivers 0.12 mg of the drug, how enough water to make 1.5 litres of the solution?
many doses are contained in a 12-mL aerosol
package? 47. How many litres of a mouth wash can be prepared
from 100 mL of cinnamon flavour if its concentration
35. The intravenous dose of mannitol is 1.5 g/kg of is to be 0.5 %(v/v)?
body weight, administered as a 15% (w/v) solution.
How many millilitres of the solution should be 48. A lotion vehicle contains 15%(v/v) of glycerol. How
administered to a 150-lb patient? many millilitres of glycerol should be used in
preparing 400 mL of the lotion?
36. If a physician orders a 25 mg “test dose” of sodium
thiopental for a patient before anaesthesia, how 49. 3785 mL millilitre of a certain lotion contains 946
many millilitres of a 2.5%(w/v) solution of sodium mL of benzyl benzoate. Calculate the percentage
thiopental should be used? (v/v) of benzyl benzoate in the lotion?

37. A prefilled syringe contains 25 mg of lidocaine 50. The formula for 1 litre of an elixir contains 0.25 mL
hydrochloride per 5 mL of injection. Express the of a flavouring oil. What is the percentage (v/v) of
percentage concentration of lidocaine in the the flavouring oil in the elixir?
injection.
51. A liniment contains 15%(v/v) of methyl salicylate.
38. A blood volume expansion solution contains 6% How many millilitres of the liniment can be made
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from 473 mL of methyl salicylate? each weighing 2 g and containing 1/4% of procaine
hydrochloride?
52. A dermatologic lotion contains 1.25 mL of liquefied
phenol in 500 mL. Calculate the percentage (v/v) of 65. If a topical cream contains 1.8%(w/w) of
liquefied phenol in the lotion. hydrocortisone, how many milligrams of
hydrocortisone should be used in preparing 15 g of
53. How many grams of sucrose must be dissolved in the cream?
475 mL of water to make a 65%(w/w) solution?
66. A topical cream contains 0.2%(w/w) of
54. How many grams of tannic acid must be dissolved nitrofurazone. How many grams of nitrofurazone
in 320 mL of glycerol having a specific gravity of are in 120 g of the cream?
1.25 to make a 20 %(w/w) solution?
67. You are directed to mix 30 g of Whitfield’s ointment
55. How many grams of a drug substance should be (containing 6% of salicylic acid) and 60 g of
dissolved in 1800 mL of water to make a 10%(w/w) Lassar’s paste with salicylic acid (containing 2% of
solution? salicylic acid) with enough white petrolatum to
make 120 g. What is the percentage (w/w) of
56. What is the percentage strength (w/w) of a solution salicylic acid in the finished product?
made by dissolving 62.5 g of potassium chloride in
187.5 mL of water? 68. Rx Salicylic acid 20 g
Whitfield’s ointment 60 g
57. If 500 g of dextrose are dissolved in 600 mL of White petrolatum ad 300 g
water with a resultant final volume of 1 litre, what is Sig. P.a.a. u.d.
the percentage strength of dextrose in the solution If Whitefield’s ointment contains 6% of salicylic acid,
on a w/w basis? calculate the percentage (w/w) of salicylic acid in
the prescription.
58. If a pharmacist adds 6 g of hydrocortisone to 120 g
of a 5%(w/w) hydrocortisone cream, what is the 69. A pharmacist incorporates 6 g of coal tar in to 120 g
resultant percentage strength of hydrocortisone in of a 5% coal tar ointment. Calculate the percentage
the product? (w/w) of coal tar in the finished product.

59. If 1 g of a drug is dissolved in 2.5 mL of glycerin, 70. If 198 g of dextrose are dissolved in 1000 mL of
specific gravity 1.25, what is the percentage water, what is the percentage strength (w/w) of the
strength (w/w) of the drug in the resultant solution? solution?

60. Nitro-Bid ointment contains 2%(w/w) of 71. Express each of the following concentration as a
nitroglycerin. If each inch (2.54 cm) of the ointment ratio strength:
squeezed from the tube contains 15 mg of (a) 2 mg of active ingredient in 2 mL of solution
nitroglycerin; (b) 0.275 mg of active ingredient in 5 mL of
(a) How many grams would each inch of ointment solution
weigh? (c) 2 g of active ingredient in 250 mL of solution
(b) How many 1-inch doses of ointment may be (d) 1 mg of active ingredient in 0.5 mL of solution
delivered from a 15-g tube of ointment?
72. A vaginal foam contains 0.01 %(w/v) of dienestrol.
61. One pound of a fungicidal ointment contains 9.08 g Express this concentration as a ratio strength.
of undecylenic acid. Calculate the percentage (w/w)
of undecylenic acid in the ointment. 73. A tetracycline syrup is preserved with 0.08 %(w/v)
of methylparaben, 0.02”w/v of propylparaben, and
62. How many grams each of resorcinol and 0.10%(w/v) of sodium metabisulpite. Express these
hexachlorophene should be used in preparing 5 lb concentrations as ratio strengths.
of an acne ointment that is to contain 2% of
resorcinol and 0.25% of hexachlorophene? 74. An ophthalmic solution of naphazoline
hydrochloride is stabilized with 0.0006%(w/v) of
63. Rx Iodochlorhydroxyquin 0.9 g sodium carbonate and preserved with 0.002%(w/v)
Hydrocortisone 0.15 g of phenylmercuric nitrate. Express these
Cream base ad 30.0 g concentrations as ratio strengths.
What it the percentage strength (w/w) each of
iodochlorhydroxyquin and hydrocortisone in the 75. An injection contains 0.50%(w/v) of lidocaine
prescription? hydrochloride and 1 : 200,000 (w/v) of epinephrine.
Express the concentration of lidocaine
64. How many milligrams of procaine hydrochloride hydrochloride as a ratio strength and that of
should be4 used in preparing 120 suppositories epinephrine as a percentage.
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subcutaneously or intramuscularly. Calculate the

76. A sample of white petrolatum contains 10 mg of milligrams of epinephrine given.
tocopherol per kilogram as a preservative. Express
the amount of tocopherol as a ratio strength. 88. In acute hypersensitivity reactions, 0.5 mL of a 1 :
1000 (w/v) solution of epinephrine may be
77. Calcium hydroxide topical solution contains 170 mg administered subcutaneously or intramuscularly.
of calcium hydroxide per 100 mL at 15oC. Express Calculate the milligrams of epinephrine given.
this concentration as a ratio strength.

78. Dibucaine hydrochloride solution is used for spinal

anaesthesia in a concentration of 1 : 1500 (w/v). 89. If a patient is determined to have a serum
How many milligrams of dibucaine hydrochloride cholesterol level of 200 mg/dL;
are contained in a 20-mL vial of the solution? (a) What is the equivalent value expressed in terms of
milligram percent?
79. Rx Potassium permanganate tablet 0.2 g (b) What is the equivalent value expressed in terms of
Desp. #100 millimoles per litre?
Sig. Tab ii in 2 litres of water. Use as directed. (c) How many milligrams of cholesterol would be
Express the concentration, as a ratio strength, of present in a 10-mL sample of the patient’s serum?
the solution prepared according to the directions
given in the prescription. 90. Echothiophate iodide solution is available in four
strengths: 1.5 mg/5 mL, 3.0 mg/5 mL, 6.25 mg/5
80. Rx Menthol 1 : 500 mL, and 12.5 mg/5 mL. Express each
Hexachlorophene 1 : 800 concentration as a percentage strength(w/v).
Hydrophilic ointment base ad 30 g
Sig. Apply to hands 91. Triamcinolone acetonide ointment is available in
How many milligrams each of menthol and three strengths: 0.025%, 0.1%, and 0.5%. Express
hexachlorophene should be used in compounding these concentrations in terms of milligrams of
the prescription? triamcinolone acetonide per gram of ointment.

81. Hepatitis B immume globulin is preserved with 1 : 92. What is the percent concentration of cholesterol in
10,000 (w/v) of thimerosal. If the dose of the a patient’s blood serum if the cholesterol level is
injection is 0.06 mL/kg of body weight, how many determined to be 260 mg%?
micrograms of thimerosal would be contained in the
dose for a 150-lb patient? 93. A patient is determined to have 0.8 mg of glucose
in each millilitre of blood. Express the
82. Hepatitis B virus vaccine inactivated ins inactivated concentration of glucose in the blood as milligram
with 1 : 4000 (w/v) of formalin. Express this ratio percent.
strength as a percentage strength.
94. Express a patient’s protein-bound iodine level of
83. Midazolam injection contains 5 mg of drug per 7.7 mcg/dL in terms of milligrams percent.
millilitre of injection. Calculate the ratio strength of
the injection. 95. A topical solution contains 2 %(w/v) of
erythromycin. Express the concentration of
84. If a 5%(w/v) benzoyl peroxide lotion is diluted with erythromycin in terms of milligrams per millilitre.
an equal volume of water, what is the resultant ratio
strength of the diluted lotion? 96. Hexachlorophene liquid soap is required to
contain, in each 100 g, not less than 225 mg and
85. If a liquid vitamin preparation contains 0.16 mcg of not more than 260 mg of hexachlorophene.
vitamin B12 per 5 mL, what is the ratio strength of Express these amounts of hexachlorophene as a
the preparation? percentage concentration range.

86. For bladder and urethral irrigation, it is 97. If a serum sample is determined to contain 270
recommended to dilute a 1 : 750 (w/v) solution of mg/dL of cholesterol, what is the concentration of
benzalkonium chloride with sterile water in a ratio of cholesterol (MW 387) in terms of millimoles per
3 parts of the benzalkonium chloride solution to 77 litre?
parts of sterile water. What is the ration strength of
benzalkonium chloride in the resultant solution? 98. Cholesterol readings of 190 mg/dL are considered
in the “good” range. Express this value of
87. A skin test for fire ant allergy involves the cholesterol (MW 387) in terms of millimoles pre
intradermal skin prick of 0.05 mL of 1 : 1,000,000 litre.
(w/v) dilution of fire ant extract. How many
micrograms of extract would be administered 99. If patient has a serum cholesterol (MW 387) of
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4.40 mmol/L, what is the corresponding value in a milligram per decilitre basis.
milligrams per decilitre?
104.A blood level of alcohol of 80 mg/dL is considered
100.Total serum cholesterol includes LDL-cholesterol to diminish driving performance. Express this value
and HDL-cholesterol. If a patient has a HDL- in terms of percentage.
cholesterol level of 65 mg/dL and a total
cholesterol of 5.43 mmol/L, what is the LDL-
cholesterol value in milligrams per decilitre?
105.the average blood alcohol concentration in fatal
intoxication is about 400 mg/dL. Express this
concentration in terms of percentage.

101.Complete the following table, comparing serum 106.Purified water contains not more than 10 ppm of
cholesterol (MW 387) levels expressed total solids. Express this concentration as a
equivalently in milligrams per decilitre and in percentage.
millimoles per litre:
107.How many grams of sodium fluoride should be
mg/dL mmol/L added to 100,000 litres of drinking water
170 (a) containing 0.6 ppm of sodium fluoride to provide a
Good recommended concentration of 1.75 ppm?
(b) 4.91
(c ) 5.69
Borderline 108.If a city water supply has a limit of 250 ppm of
240 (d)
High (e) 6.46 nitrate ion, what is the maximum amount of nitrate
ion, in kilograms, that may be present in a 40,000
102.A glucose metre shows that a patient’s blood litres reservoir?
contains 125 mg% of glucose. Express this value
as mg/mL. 109.If a commercially available insulin preparation
contains 1 ppm of proinsulin, how many
103.Federal rules prohibit transportation workers from micrograms of proinsulin would be contained in a
performing safety-sensitive functions when breath 10-mL vial of insulin?
alcohol is 0.04% or greater. Express this value on
25. 25 g 53. 882.1 g 75. 1 : 200 ;
Answers 26. 2.5 %(w/v) 54. 100 g 0.0005%(w/v)
27. 5 %(w/v) 55. 200 g 76. 1 : 100,000
1. 0.05 g 28. 85 %(w/v) 56. 25 %(w/w) 77. 1 : 558 (17 :
2. 11.83 g 29. 5.4 %(w/v) ; 1.4 57. 45.5 %(w/w) 10,000)
3. 6 mL %(w/v) 58. 9.52 %(w/w) 78. 13.3 mg
4. 25%(v/v) 30. 6.15 L 59. 24.2 %(w/w) 79. 1 : 4730
5. 1026 mL 31. 50,440 mL 60. (a) 0.75 g ; (b) 80. 60 mg ; 37.5 mg
6. Dissolve 2.55 g 32. 12.5 L 20 doses 81. 409 mcg
of drug in 125 g 33. 500 mL 61. 2 %(w/w) 82. 0.025 %(w/v)
of solvent 34. 250 doses 62. 45.5 g ; 5.68 g 83. 1 : 200 (w/v)
7. 4.76%(w/w) 35. 682 mL 63. 3 %(w/w) ; 0.5 84. 1: 40
8. 40 g 36. 1 mL %(w/w) 85. 1 : 31,250,000
9. 12.5 mg 37. 1 %(w/v) 64. 600 mg (w/v)
10. 0.96 g 38. 15 g ; 2.25 g 65. 270 mg 86. 1 : 20,000
11. 180 mg to 220 39. 0.39 %(w/v) 66. 0.24 g 87. 0.05 mcg
mg 40. (a) 2 g ; (b) 2.5 67. 2.5 %(w/w) 88. 0.5 mg
12. 1: 5000 %(w/v) 68. 7.87 %(w/w) 89. 200 mg%; 5.2
13. 0.025% 41. 0.005 %(w/v) 69. 9.5 %(w/w) mmol/L; 20 mg
14. 1: 160 42. 0.075 g 70. 16.5 %(w/w) 90. 0.03 %; 0.06 %;
15. 50 mg 43. 67.5 mL 71. (a) 1 : 1000 ; (b) 0.125 %; 0.25
16. 25 mg 44. 150 mL 1 : 18,182 ; (c) %
17. 3.0 g 45. 90 mL 1 : 125 ; (d) 1 : 91. 0.25 mg/g; 1
18. 0.15 g 46. 18.75 %(v/v) 500 mg/g; 5 mg/g
19. 7.5 g 47. 20 L 72. 1 : 10,000 92. 0.26 %
20. 0.5 g 48. 60 mL 73. 1 : 1250 ; 1 : 93. 80 mg%
21. 1.5 g ; 0.45 g 49. 25%(v/v) 5000 ; 1 : 1000 94. 0.0077 mg%
22. 0.288 g 50. 0.025 %(v/v) 74. 1 : 166,667 (3 : 95. 20 mg/mL
23. 1.67 %(w/v) 51. 3153 mL 500,000) ; 1 : 96. 0.225 – 0.26 %
24. 0.28 %(w/v) 52. 0.25 %(v/v) 50,000 97. 6.98 mmol/L

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98. 4.91 mmol/L

99. 170 mg/dL
100. 145 mg/dL
101. (a) 4.39
mmol/L ; (b) 190
mg/dL ; (c) 220
mg/dL ; (d) 6.20
mmol/L ; (e) 250
mg/dL
102. 1.25 mg/mL
103. 40 mg/dL
104. 0.08 %
105. 0.4 %
106. 0.001%
107. 115 g
108. 10 kg
109. 10 mcg

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