Suspension
Suspension (medicine)
Suspension (pronunciation: /səˈspenSHən/) is a term used in pharmacy to describe a heterogeneous type of liquid dosage form that contains solid particles dispersed throughout a liquid medium.
Etymology
The term 'suspension' originates from the Latin word 'suspensio', which means 'to hang up' or 'to make to hover'. This is in reference to the solid particles that are 'suspended' or 'hovering' in the liquid medium.
Description
In a suspension, the solid particles are not dissolved in the liquid, but are dispersed or spread out. This is different from a solution, where the solid particles are completely dissolved in the liquid. Suspensions are often used in medicine when the drug is not easily soluble in water or when the drug needs to be released slowly over time.
Related Terms
- Dispersion: A system in which particles are dispersed in a continuous phase of a different composition.
- Flocculation: A process wherein colloids come out of suspension in the form of floc or flakes.
- Sedimentation: The process by which particles settle to the bottom of a liquid.
- Stability: The resistance to change of the physical state of a substance.
- Viscosity: A measure of a fluid's resistance to flow.
See Also
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Suspension
- Wikipedia's article - Suspension
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