Pharmacy, Dispensing, and Quality Control of Traditional Medicines
Dispensing standards
Traditional pharmacy questions test whether you can prepare and dispense safely and reproducibly. Know the common dosage forms - decoction, infusion, tincture, powder, pill, syrup, ointment, and poultice - and the difference between them (e.g. infusion for delicate parts, decoction for roots and bark). Understand the importance of accurate weighing and measurement, clean equipment, correct labelling, and clear instructions to the patient.
Quality control
Quality control covers identity, purity, potency, and safety. Key concepts:
- Identification: correct plant species and part; macroscopic and organoleptic checks.
- Purity: absence of contamination - microbial, heavy metals, pesticides, and foreign matter.
- Potency: consistent content of active constituents; standardisation.
- Adulteration: deliberate or accidental substitution, a major quality failure.
- Storage: protection from light, moisture, heat, and pests; expiry dating.
Traps
- Assuming a traditional preparation is exempt from labelling and storage rules.
- Mixing up infusion and decoction methods.
- Ignoring heavy-metal contamination, a documented risk in some traditional products.
Rule of thumb
Apply the four QC pillars: Identity, Purity, Potency, Safety (IPPS). If a question describes a product problem, name which pillar has failed.
Worked example: A batch of powdered root is found to contain leaf material. This is an identity failure (adulteration), not a potency issue - the correct answer names adulteration and requires rejection of the batch.