Question

When will a drug be put in schedule I?

What is an excipient? What is its purpose?

What is a diluent? Why is it used? Give an example.

What is meant by the term “aggregate weight” as it applies to drug control? Give an example

Give an example of a spot or field test and the drug or class of drugs it is used on. When are these tests used?

Answer 1

Schedule I drugs are those which are not anymore in use or are mostly dangerous. These have a high potential for abuse. They are no longer in use or acceptable. Example: heroine, opium.

An excipient is an inert substance which is added to the tablet apart from the active ingredient. All non-drug components are excipients. They do not have any phamocological action. Excipients are critical to the design of a tablet and play a major role in determining its quality and performance. Excipients include: Diluents/fillers, binders/adhesives, disintegrating agents, lubricants, glidants/flow promoters/enhancers, anti adherants, sweetners, colorants/coloring agents, flavouring agents.

A diluent is a substance which is used to increase the flowing consistency by decreasing the viscosity of fluids. It is termed as diluting agent. It is necessary that the viscosity of fluid should be maintained such that the substance should be pumpable. Diluents are used in many industries and find usage in pharmaceutical industry, oil industries. It lacks activity.

Aggregate weight would be the overall weight of combining the weight of all chemical compounds included in drug formulation. Aggregate weight refers to the weight of the subtance which contains the offensive drug irrespective of the amount of actually offensive drug in the substance. The measure of the entire weight of whatever is seized(offensive drugs live marijuana, opium, narcotics etc.,). This is called the aggregate weight.

Example, if one 360 ounce of heroin is bought and made into two ounces by "cutting," or diluting, it. Even though diluted by half, the aggregate weight is still two ounces. Pure weight is the total amount of the drug alone, excluding anything mixed with it.

It is required that the aggregate weight should be maintained in possession of a drug. It is exceeds the aggregate weight, it is termed offensive and prone to punishment. In case if there is a necessity to deliver such a type of drug,it is required to maintain the aggregate weight.