Sunday, October 26, 2008

Vancomycin Injection (Drug Description)

Vancomycin Injection, USP
in GALAXY Plastic Container (PL 2040)

For Intravenous Use Only

To reduce the development of drug-resistant bacteria and maintain the effectiveness of vancomycin and other antibacterial drugs, vancomycin should be used only to treat or prevent infections that are proven or strongly suspected to be caused by bacteria.

DRUG DESCRIPTION

Vancomycin Injection, USP in the GALAXY plastic container (PL 2040) contains vancomycin, added as Vancomycin Hydrochloride, USP. It is a tricyclic glycopeptide antibiotic derived from Amycolatopsis orientalis (formerly Nocardia orientalis). The molecular formula is C66H75Cl2N9O24•HCl and the molecular weight is 1,485.71. 500 mg of the base is equivalent to 0.34 mmol. Vancomycin hydrochloride has the following structural formula:

Vancomycin Structural Formula Illustration

Vancomycin Injection, USP in the GALAXY plastic container (PL 2040) is a frozen, iso-osmotic, sterile, nonpyrogenic premixed 100 mL or 200 mL solution containing 500 mg or 1 g Vancomycin respectively as Vancomycin hydrochloride. Each 100 mL of solution contains approximately 5 g of Dextrose Hydrous, USP. The pH of the solution may have been adjusted with hydrochloric acid and/or sodium hydroxide. Thawed solutions have a pH in the range of 3.0 to 5.0. After thawing to room temperature, this solution is intended for intravenous use only.

This GALAXY container is fabricated from a specially designed multilayer plastic (PL 2040).

Solutions are in contact with the polyethylene layer of this container and can leach out certain chemical components of the plastic in very small amounts within the expiration period. The suitability of the plastic has been confirmed in tests in animals according to USP biological tests for plastic containers as well as by tissue culture toxicity studies.

Humulin N (Drug Description)

HUMULIN® N
(NPH HUMAN INSULIN (rDNA ORIGIN) ISOPHANE SUSPENSION, 10 mL Vial (1000 Units per vial), 100 UNITS PER ML (U-100))

Humulin is synthesized in a special non-disease-producing laboratory strain of Escherichia coli bacteria that has been genetically altered to produce human insulin. Humulin N [Human insulin (rDNA origin) isophane suspension] is a crystalline suspension of human insulin with protamine and zinc providing an intermediate-acting insulin with a slower onset of action and a longer duration of activity (up to 24 hours) than that of Regular human insulin. The time course of action of any insulin may vary considerably in different individuals or at different times in the same individual. As with all insulin preparations, the duration of action of Humulin N is dependent on dose, site of injection, blood supply, temperature, and physical activity. Humulin N is a sterile suspension and is for subcutaneous injection only. It should not be used intravenously or intramuscularly. The concentration of Humulin N is 100 units/mL (U-100).

Decadron (Drug Description)

DECADRON®
(dexamethasone) Tablets, USP

DECADRON* (dexamethasone tablets, USP) tablets, for oral administration, are supplied in two potencies, 0.5 mg and 0.75 mg. Inactive ingredients are calcium phosphate, lactose, magnesium stearate, and starch. Tablets DECADRON 0.5 mg also contain D&C Yellow 10 and FD&C Yellow 6. Tablets DECADRON 0.75 mg also contain FD&C Blue 1.

The molecular weight for dexamethasone is 392.47. It is designated chemically as 9-fluoro-11β,17,21-trihydroxy-16α-methylpregna-1,4-diene-3,20-dione. The empirical formula is C22H29FO5 and the structural formula is:

Decadron (dexamethasone) structural formula illustration

Dexamethasone, a synthetic adrenocortical steroid, is a white to practically white, odorless, crystalline powder. It is stable in air. It is practically insoluble in water.

Fenofibrate 40 mg/ 120 mg (Drug Description)

Fenofibrate
(fenofibrate) 40 mg/120 mg Tablets

Fenofibrate Tablets, is a lipid regulating agent available as tablets for oral administration. Each tablet contains 40 mg or 120 mg fenofibrate. The chemical name for fenofibrate is 2-[4-(4-chlorobenzoyl) phenoxy]-2-methyl-propanoic acid, 1-methylethyl ester with the following structural formula:

Fenofibrate structural formula illustration

The empirical formula is C20H21O4Cl and the molecular weight is 360.83; fenofibrate is insoluble in water. The melting point is 79° to 82°C. Fenofibrate is a white solid which is stable under ordinary conditions. Inactive Ingredients: Each tablet contains lactose monohydrate, NF; Polyethylene Glycol 6000, NF; Poloxamer 188, NF; and magnesium stearate, NF.

Tuesday, October 21, 2008

Glucophage (Drug Description)

GLUCOPHAGE®
(metformin hydrochloride) Tablets

GLUCOPHAGE® XR
(metformin hydrochloride) Extended-Release Tablets

GLUCOPHAGE® (metformin hydrochloride tablets) and GLUCOPHAGE® XR (metformin hydrochloride extended-release tablets) are oral antihyperglycemic drugs used in the management of type 2 diabetes. Metformin hydrochloride (N,N-dimethylimidodicarbonimidic diamide hydrochloride) is not chemically or pharmacologically related to any other classes of oral antihyperglycemic agents. The structural formula is as shown:

GLUCOPHAGE®  (metformin hydrochloride)  Structural Formula Illustration

Metformin hydrochloride is a white to off-white crystalline compound with a molecular formula of C4H11N5 • HCl and a molecular weight of 165.63. Metformin hydrochloride is freely soluble in water and is practically insoluble in acetone, ether, and chloroform. The pKa of metformin is 12.4. The pH of a 1% aqueous solution of metformin hydrochloride is 6.68.

GLUCOPHAGE tablets contain 500 mg, 850 mg, or 1000 mg of metformin hydrochloride. Each tablet contains the inactive ingredients povidone and magnesium stearate. In addition, the coating for the 500 mg and 850 mg tablets contains hypromellose and the coating for the 1000 mg tablet contains hypromellose and polyethylene glycol.

GLUCOPHAGE XR contains 500 mg or 750 mg of metformin hydrochloride as the active ingredient.

GLUCOPHAGE XR 500 mg tablets contain the inactive ingredients sodium carboxymethyl cellulose, hypromellose, microcrystalline cellulose, and magnesium stearate.

GLUCOPHAGE XR 750 mg tablets contain the inactive ingredients sodium carboxymethyl cellulose, hypromellose, and magnesium stearate.

Sandostatin LAR (Drug Description)

Sandostatin LAR® Depot
(octreotide acetate) for Injectable Suspension.

Octreotide is the acetate salt of a cyclic octapeptide. It is a long-acting octapeptide with pharmacologic properties mimicking those of the natural hormone somatostatin. Octreotide is known chemically as L-Cysteinamide, D-phenylalanyl-L-cysteinyl-L-phenylalanyl-D-tryptophyl-L-lysyl-L-threonyl-N-[2-hydroxy-1-(hydroxy-methyl) propyl]-, cyclic (2→7)-disulfide; [R-(R*,R*)].

Sandostatin LAR® Depot (octreotide acetate for injectable suspension) is available in a vial containing the sterile drug product, which when mixed with diluent, becomes a suspension that is given as a monthly intragluteal injection. The octreotide is uniformly distributed within the microspheres which are made of a biodegradable glucose star polymer, D,L-lactic and glycolic acids copolymer. Sterile mannitol is added to the microspheres to improve suspendability.

Sandostatin LAR® Depot is available as: sterile 5-mL vials in 3 strengths delivering 10 mg, 20 mg or 30 mg octreotide free peptide. Each vial of Sandostatin LAR® Depot delivers:

Name of Ingredient 10 mg 20 mg 30 mg
octreotide acetate 11.2 mg* 22.4 mg* 33.6 mg*
D, L-lactic and glycolic acids copolymer 188.8 mg 377.6 mg 566.4 mg
mannitol 41.0 mg 81.9 mg 122.9 mg
*Equivalent to 10/20/30 mg octreotide base.

Each syringe of diluent contains:

carboxymethylcellulose sodium.......... 12.5 mg
mannitol ............................................15.0 mg
water for injection .............................2.5 mL


Tuesday, October 14, 2008

Chantix (Drug Description)

CHANTIX®

(varenicline) Tablets

DRUG DESCRIPTION

CHANTIX™ tablets contain the active ingredient, varenicline (as the tartrate salt), which is a partial agonist selective for α4β2 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor subtypes.

Varenicline, as the tartrate salt, is a powder which is a white to off-white to slightly yellow solid with the following chemical name: 7,8,9,10-tetrahydro-6,10-methano-6H-pyrazino[2,3-h][3]benzazepine, (2R,3R)-2,3-dihydroxybutanedioate (1:1). It is highly soluble in water. Varenicline tartrate has a molecular weight of 361.35 Daltons, and a molecular formula of C13H13N3•C4H6O6. The chemical structure is:

CHANTIX®(varenicline) Structural Formula Illustration

CHANTIX is supplied for oral administration in two strengths: a 0.5 mg capsular biconvex, white to off-white, film-coated tablet debossed with "Pfizer" on one side and "CHX 0.5" on the other side and a 1 mg capsular biconvex, light blue film-coated tablet debossed with "Pfizer" on one side and "CHX 1.0" on the other side. Each 0.5 mg CHANTIX tablet contains 0.85 mg of varenicline tartrate equivalent to 0.5 mg of varenicline free base; each 1mg CHANTIX tablet contains 1.71 mg of varenicline tartrate equivalent to 1 mg of varenicline free base. The following inactive ingredients are included in the tablets: microcrystalline cellulose, anhydrous dibasic calcium phosphate, croscarmellose sodium, colloidal silicon dioxide, magnesium stearate, Opadry® White (for 0.5 mg), Opadry® Blue (for 1 mg), and Opadry® Clear.