THE PCCA BLOG

Tips & Tricks from the Lab: Compounding with the Lipoderm® Family of Bases

Wed, 12 Jul 2023 11:00:00 GMT

by Melissa Merrell Rhoads, PharmD, PCCA Director of Formulations

We introduced our proprietary base, Lipoderm® (PCCA #30-3338), in the early 2000s. Now recognized as the first proprietary permeation-enhancing vehicle in the compounding industry, Lipoderm has since become an official USP Compounded Preparation Monograph for Ondansetron Compounded Topical Gel (20 mg/mL).

Our product innovations, however, did not end there. We subsequently introduced a family of Lipoderm permeation-enhancing bases that are scientifically proven to deliver active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) through the skin, as indicated by an ever-growing portfolio of peer-reviewed journal publications and FormulaPlus™ BUD-studied formulas.

The Lipoderm Family of Bases

Our Lipoderm family of products expands your options for topical compounded permeation-enhancing preparations to address the needs of your patients.

Lipoderm® (PCCA #30-3338) is great for general permeation-enhancing and deep-penetrating topical formulations.
Lipoderm ActiveMax® (PCCA #30-4482) is an excellent base for APIs with high-salt concentrations.
Lipoderm® HMW™ (PCCA #30-4612) works well for APIs with high molecular weights.
Anhydrous Lipoderm® (PCCA #30-4283) is perfect for APIs that are unstable in water.

Compounding Preparations

Lipoderm®	Lipoderm ActiveMax®	Lipoderm® HMW™	Anhydrous Lipoderm®
Low viscosity/separation due to API (salt load or incompatibility)
Use Krisgel 100™ 0.5-5% (0.1-0.5% is the most common concentration) Use Emulsifix®-205 0.5-10% (1-6% is the most common concentration) Use poloxamer 407 20% gel 10-25%	Use Krisgel 100 0.5-5% (0.1-0.5% is the most common concentration) Use Emulsifix-205 0.5-10% (1-6% is most common concentration) Use poloxamer 407 20% gel 10-25%	Use Krisgel 100 0.5-5% (0.1-0.5% is the most common concentration) Use Emulsifix-205 0.5-10% (1-6% is most common concentration) Use free base vs. salt form if possible	Avoid high-salt drugs and acids This base is incompatible with Krisgel 100 and Emulsifix-205 since they require water to congeal
Hardening of the Final Preparation & Particles on Ointment Mill (Flurbiprofen + Gabapentin as an Example)			Low Viscosity Due to Elevated Temperatures During Shipping
Use widest setting (3) on ointment mill. After milling, allow preparation to sit for up to 24 hours until hardening occurs (Formula #10533 takes 2 days to harden; other formulas average 24 hours). After hardening, re-mix with EMP for 3 minutes on medium setting (for a 100 Gm preparation).			Let preparation sit at room temperature for 24-48 hours; or refrigerate preparation for 12 hours.
Gumming Up/Stickiness (Often Seen with Diclofenac Combinations)			Hardening of Final Preparation Due to Low Temperature
Add propylene glycol 5% + ETOH 190 proof 5-10%. If the preparation decreases in viscosity, add Krisgel 100 0.4%. Wet diclofenac with 10% of poloxamer 407 gel (20%-30%). Mix well and set aside. Wet remaining powders with their usual wetting agent (diethylene glycol monoethyl ether, propylene glycol, ethyl alcohol, etc.). Combine in the EMP jar, q.s. with Lipoderm. Mix per formula instructions.	Add ETOH 190 proof 5-10%. If viscosity of preparation decreases, add Krisgel 100 0.4%. Wet diclofenac with 10% of poloxamer 407 gel (20% or 30%). Mix well and set aside. Wet any remaining powders with their usual wetting agent (diethylene glycol monoethyl ether, propylene glycol, ethyl alcohol, etc.). Combine in EMP jar, q.s. with Lipoderm. Mix per formula instructions.		Use shear force from ointment mill or EMP to decrease viscosity. Add Base G (almond oil NF (Sweet) 5-10%. Add Medium Chain Triglycerides NF 5-10%.
Low Viscosity Due to Shear Stress from Ointment Mill or EMP	NOTE: The guidelines provided here may not work in every case. The Lipoderm family of bases are emulsions and stability is dependent upon the combination and concentration of APIs and wetting agents. Each formula may respond differently. If creating a unique formula (not in the PCCA database), compound a small sample (~30 Gm) and observe for 12-24 hours to ensure compatibility. PCCA members with clinical services may contact our Clinical Services team for help compounding APIs and wetting agents using Lipoderm bases, as well as other compounding concerns.
Allow preparation to sit for 12-24 hours; add Krisgel 100 or Emulsifix-205 if needed.

Permeation-Enhanced Topical Pain Therapy: A Literature Review

Wed, 13 May 2020 13:04:05 GMT

By Nat Jones, RPh, FAPC, PCCA Clinical Compounding Pharmacist

Topical preparations made of animal, mineral or plant extracts were in common use in ancient Egyptian and Babylonian medicine by 3000 BCE.¹ Humans have known for a very long time that products may be applied to the skin for either local or systemic effects, and as our understanding of the anatomy and physiology of the skin has improved, science has brought about the development of technologies to effectively and quantitatively deliver substances across this barrier to specific target sites in the skin and systemically in the body.² This brings us to modern health care, including pharmacy compounding.

Permeation Enhancement in Compounding

Compounding pharmacists have brought a variety of topical treatment options forward within the last 25 years in the field of pain therapy. Permeation-enhanced topical pain therapy (PETPT) has been commonly called transdermal pain therapy for a long time in our industry. More recently in the pharmaceutical industry, though, the word “transdermal” has primarily referred to manufactured patches (e.g., fentanyl) and not compounded creams or gels. With that being the case, the term “permeation-enhanced” seems appropriate.

In the practice of compounding, permeation enhancement can come from certain chemicals, some of which have dual function in formulating for topical applications. These agents can both increase penetration through the stratum corneum (permeation enhancers), and they can also improve incorporation of the active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) into the delivery base (wetting agents). Common examples would include propylene glycol, ethoxy diglycol or ethylene glycol monoethyl ether.³ It is also important when compounding to select a wetting agent that is compatible with the base, of course.

Over the years, compounding bases have become more advanced, with some having intrinsic permeation-enhancing properties. Compounders made the use of pluronic lecithin organogels (PLO gels) popular in the 1990s and early 2000s, but with the invention of Lipoderm^® in the early 2000s, the landscape of delivering small to medium-sized molecules through the stratum corneum changed. Lipoderm was the first proprietary permeation-enhancing vehicle in the compounding industry, and it showed increased delivery of ketoprofen versus a PLO gel with Franz finite permeation testing.⁴ Other APIs were successfully tested for permeation through the skin, including a four-drug study of both Lipoderm and Lipoderm ActiveMax^®proving delivery of ketamine, gabapentin, baclofen and clonidine simultaneously from the same permeation-enhancing topical base.⁵ More recently, PermE8^® Anhydrous Gel shows promise as another option. Initial in vitro testing revealed that it delivered ketoprofen into and through human skin tissue comparably to Lipoderm.⁶ This leads to a discussion of the evidence we have for PETPT.

Levels of Evidence in Medicine

Clinical data about the efficacy of PETPT has presented various levels of evidence that is useful in helping our medical colleagues to treat patients experiencing pain. Evidence-based medicine is the hierarchical system of classifying evidence in order to be able to make more logical clinical decisions. There are many different levels of evidence that can be used. At one extreme, there are systematic reviews of multiple clinical trials with homogeneity. At the other end, there is expert opinion without explicit critical appraisal or that is based on physiology bench research or fundamental information (“first principles”).⁷ Table 1 explains this range of evidence.

Table 1. Levels of Evidence for Studies⁷
Level	Type of Evidence
1A	Systematic review (with homogeneity) of randomized, controlled trials (RCTs)
1B	Individual RCT (with narrow confidence intervals)
1C	All-or-none study
2A	Systematic review (with homogeneity) of cohort studies
2B	Individual cohort study (including low quality RCT, e.g., <80% follow-up)
2C	“Outcomes” research; ecological studies
3A	Systematic review (with homogeneity) of case-control studies
3B	Individual case-control study
4	Case series (and poor-quality cohort and case-control study)
5	Expert opinion without explicit critical appraisal or based on physiology bench research or first principles

In the practice of medicine, there is not always a systematic review of homogeneous, randomized clinical trials available for us to use when making every clinical decision. In fact, in the compounding world, that level of evidence is essentially nonexistent. It has been stated many times that we are attempting the practice of medicine and not the exact science of medicine, and that on many occasions the only level of evidence we have is an expert opinion without explicit critical appraisal, or we must base our decision on physiology bench research or first principles. This does not mean we are not practicing evidence-based medicine. We are, but just not with the highest level of evidence that could exist in an ideal world. The practice of medicine is still far from being perfected, and we still make great use of the information we have.

Literature Review of PETPT

Last year, we at PCCA undertook a literature review of PETPT, totaling 168 single-API studies and 48 multi-API studies. We looked at the design and outcomes of these studies published from around the world. Their size and quality varied from single-patient case studies to larger randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trials. Most of them showed an effective outcome for the patients treated (153 out of 168 single-API studies, or 91%, and 38 out of the 48 multi-API studies, or 79%). The researchers used a variety of APIs in these studies, such as amitriptyline, baclofen, capsaicin, clonidine, diclofenac, doxepin, gabapentin, ibuprofen, ketamine, ketoprofen, lidocaine and piroxicam, along with others. Navigating this bulk of literature and deciding which articles to share with prescribers to help make clinical decisions can be difficult and time consuming. A brief summary of some selected studies from our review (Table 2 and Table 3) can serve as a reference guide for pharmacists and prescribers in choosing an effective API for incorporation into their PETPT for various types of patients. We hope it will make the selection process a little easier and, ultimately, help you to serve your patients.

Table 2. Single-API PETPT Studies
Clinical Use	Size	Ingredient	Outcomes	Citation
Central neuropathic pain	1	Amitriptyline	EFFECTIVE: Patient noted that in the week of using the active cream, no allodynia was present, with a carryover effect of one day. She did not need to use the escape medication in the week of using the active cream, though she frequently used the escape medication in the placebo weeks.	Kopsky, D. J., Liebregts, R., Keppel Hesselink, J. M. (2012). Central neuropathic pain in a patient with multiple sclerosis treated successfully with topical amitriptyline. Case Reports in Medicine, 2012. https://doi.org/10.1155/2012/471835
Chemotherapy-induced neuropathies	44	Amitriptyline	EFFECTIVE: The median VAS pain score decreased from 7 (4–9) at baseline to 2 (0–4) after 4-week topical treatment.	Rossignol, J., Cozzi, B., Liebaert, F., Hatton, S., Viallard, M.-L., Hermine, O., & Greco, C. (2019). High concentration of topical amitriptyline for treating chemotherapy-induced neuropathies. Supportive Care in Cancer, 27(8), 3053–3059. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-018-4618-y
Hemorrhoid post-op pain	66	Baclofen	EFFECTIVE: Baclofen group has significantly lower pain score on week 1 and week 2 than placebo. Baclofen group consumed significantly less analgesic agents on week 1 and week 2.	Ala, S., Alvandipour, M., Saeedi, M., Mansourifar, M., Monajati, M., & Shiva, A. (2020). Effect of topical baclofen 5% on post-hemorrhoidectomy pain: Randomized double blind placebo-controlled clinical trial. Journal of Gastrointestinal Surgery, 24, 405–410. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11605-019-04147-7
Diabetic Neuropathy	102	Amitriptyline vs. Capsaicin	EFFECTIVE: Both drugs significantly relieved pain in 12 weeks compared with baseline values. Treatment responders were similar in both groups (P = 0.545).	Kiani, J., Nasrollahi, S. A., Esna-Ashari, F., Fallah, P., & Sajedi, F. (2015). Amitriptyline 2% cream vs. capsaicin 0.75% cream in the treatment of painful diabetic neuropathy (Double blind, randomized clinical trial of efficacy and safety).Iranian Journal of Pharmaceutical Research, 14(4), 1263–1268.
Diabetic neuropathy	139	Clonidine, capsaicin	EFFECTIVE: Both drugs significantly relieved pain at 12 weeks, but no significant difference in the efficacy between the 2 treatments was observed.	Kiani, J., Sajedi, F., Nasrollahi, S. A., & Esna-Ashari, F. (2015). A randomized clinical trial of efficacy and safety of the topical clonidine and capsaicin in the treatment of painful diabetic neuropathy.Journal of Research in Medical Sciences, 20(4), 359–363.
Osteoarthritis of the knees	216	Diclofenac	EFFECTIVE: This topical diclofenac solution demonstrated relief of the symptoms of primary osteoarthritis of the knee at 6 weeks.	Baer, P. A., Thomas, L. M., & Shainhouse, Z. (2005). Treatment of osteoarthritis of the knee with a topical diclofenac solution: A randomised controlled, 6-week trial [ISRCTN53366886]. BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders, 6. https://dx.doi.org/10.1186%2F1471-2474-6-44
Central neuropathic pain	33	Ketamine	EFFECTIVE: Daily 75 mg S(+)-ketamine showed significant improvements on the Pain Disability Index, on the EQ-5D, and on the SF-36. Daily 50 mg was not effective.	Vranken, J. H., Dijkgraaf M. G. W., Kruis, M. R., van Dasselaar, N. T., & van der Vegt, M. H. (2005). Iontophoretic administration of S(+)-ketamine in patients with intractable central pain: A placebo-controlled trial. Pain, 118(1–2), 224–231. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pain.2005.08.020
Complex regional pain syndrome, type 1 (CRPS I)	5	Ketamine	EFFECTIVE: Improvement of the report of pain intensity, measured by the visual analog scale, in 4 patients with acute early dystrophic stage of CRPS I. Swelling of the affected limbs subsided as well. No apparent changes were noticed in 1 patient with chronic atrophic stage of CRPS I and in both patients with CRPS II.	Ushida, T., Tani, T., Kanbara, T., Zinchuk, V. S., Kawasaki, M., Yamamoto, H. (2002). Analgesic effects of ketamine ointment in patients with complex regional pain syndrome type 1.Regional Anesthesia & Pain Medicine, 27(5), 524–528. https://doi.org/10.1053/rapm.2002.35517
Post herpetic neuralgia and neuropathic pain syndromes	23	Gabapentin	EFFECTIVE: Collectively, 20 of the 23 patients benefited from topical gabapentin, with a reduction in mean pain scores after 1 month, and 11 achieved a clinically meaningful 30% reduction in pain.	Hiom, S., Patel, G. K., Newcombe, R. G., Khot, S., & Martin, C. (2015). Severe postherpetic neuralgia and other neuropathic pain syndromes alleviated by topical gabapentin. British Journal of Dermatology, 173(1), 300–302. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjd.13624
Refractory, focal peripheral neuropathic pain	23	Gabapentin 6% in Lipoderm	EFFECTIVE: Topical gabapentin resulted in rapid improvement of symptoms (<1 month) when compared to the gradual titration required with oral administration (<8 weeks), with the associated patient and institution benefits. Results support anecdotal evidence that topical gabapentin is safe and efficacious for use in refractory focal peripheral neuropathic pain.	Hiom, S., Khot, S., Mogford, S., Hart, C., Patel, G., Roberts, G., Martin, C., & Newcombe, R. (2015). Topical delivery of gabapentin (GabaGel^™) for neuropathic pain: A ‘proof of concept’ study.International Journal of Pharmacy Practice, 23(Suppl. S2), 23–106. https://doi.org/10.1111/ijpp.12213

Table 3. Multi-API PETPT Studies
Clinical Use	Size	Ingredients	Outcomes	Citation
Radicular pain	Case series	Diclofenac, ibuprofen, baclofen, cyclobenzaprine, bupivacaine, gabapentin, pentoxifylline	EFFECTIVE: The topical formulation addresses both neuropathic and inflammatory components of radicular pain. It was found to be well tolerated, reduce radicular pain, and improve function and sleep in this case series of 3 patients who had failed other conservative or surgical treatment.	Safaeian, P., Mattie, R., Hahn, M., Plastaras, C. T., & McCormick, Z. L. (2016). Novel treatment of radicular pain with a multi-mechanistic combination topical agent: A case series and literature review. Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, 6(2). http://dx.doi.org/10.5812/aapm.33322
Diabetic neuropathy and other chronic pain conditions	283	Ketamine, baclofen, gabapentin, amitriptyline, bupivacaine, clonidine, also a + nifedipine arm	EFFECTIVE: Both creams significantly decreased pain score. Also effective in all secondary outcomes.	Somberg, J. C., & Molnar, J. (2015). Retrospective study on the analgesic activity of a topical (TT-CTAC) cream in patients with diabetic neuropathy and other chronic pain conditions. American Journal of Therapeutics, 22(3), 214–221. https://doi.org/10.1097/mjt.0000000000000253
Chronic neuropathic pain	200	Doxepin, capsaicin, combination of doxepin and capsaicin	EFFECTIVE: Topical application of doxepin, capsaicin and doxepin/capsaicin produced analgesia of similar magnitude. However, the combination produced more rapid analgesia.	McCleane, G. (2000). Topical application of doxepin hydrochloride, capsaicin and a combination of both produces analgesia in chronic human neuropathic pain: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study.British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology, 49(6), 574–579. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-2125.2000.00200.x
Neuropathic pain	16	Amitriptyline, ketamine, lidocaine	EFFECTIVE: The APIs significantly reduced (p<0.05) pain intensity, sharpness, burning, sensitivity, itchiness, unpleasantness and depth of pain levels on a short-term basis (i.e., between pre-treatment and 30 min post-treatment). They significantly reduced (p<0.05) burning levels on a long-term basis (i.e., between pretreatment and 2 weeks post-treatment).	Uzaraga, I., Gerbis, B., Holwerda, E., Gillis, D., & Wai, E. (2012). Topical amitriptyline, ketamine, and lidocaine in neuropathic pain caused by radiation skin reaction: A pilot study. Supportive Care in Cancer , 20(7), 1515–1524. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-011-1240-7

Nat Jones, RPh, FAPC, graduated from the Virginia Commonwealth University, Medical College of Virginia’s School of Pharmacy in 1979. In 2014, after 20 years of owning a compounding pharmacy, he joined PCCA’s staff. Nat has given continuing education lectures at medical professional seminars and webinars on numerous topics, including general compounding, wound care, pain management, nutrition, otolaryngology, women’s health, sexual dysfunction, insulin resistance, hormone replacement therapy, neurotransmitter imbalance and dermatology. He has published many articles and case studies in magazines and professional journals along with an open-access ebook titled Advances in Psoriasis with Avid Science. Since 2016, Nat has served on the Texas State Palliative Care Interdisciplinary Advisory Council.

A version of this article originally appeared in PCCA’s members-only magazine, the Apothagram.

References

1. Geller, M. J. (2010). Ancient Babylonian medicine. Malden, MA: Wiley-Blackwell.

2. Benson, H. A. E., Grice, J. E., Mohammed, Y., Namjoshi, S., & Roberts, M. S. (2019). Topical and transdermal drug delivery: From simple potions to smart technologies. Current Drug Delivery, 16 (5), 444–460. https://doi.org/10.2174/1567201816666190201143457

3. Osborne, D. W. (2011). Diethylene glycol monoethyl ether: An emerging solvent in topical dermatology products. Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 10(4), 324–329. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1473-2165.2011.00590.x

4. Bassani, A. S., Banov, D., & Phan, H. (2016). Characterization of the percutaneous absorption of ketoprofen using the Franz skin finite dose model. Postgraduate Medicine, 128(2), 262–267. https://doi.org/10.1080/00325481.2016.1144448

5. Bassani, A. S., & Banov, D. (2015). Evaluation of the percutaneous absorption of ketamine HCl, gabapentin, clonidine HCl, and baclofen, in compounded transdermal pain formulations, using the Franz finite dose model. Pain Medicine, 17(2), 230–238. https://doi.org/10.1111/pme.12899

6. PCCA Science. (2019). Evaluation of the in vitro human skin percutaneous absorption of ketoprofen in PCCA PermE8 Anhydrous Gel vs. PCCA Lipoderm [PCCA Document #99732]. http://beta.pccarx.com/pdf_files/PCCA%20Science/Technical%20Reports/99732_TR_Ketoprof-PermE8-Lipoderm.pdf

7. Burns, P. B., Rohrich, R. J., & Chung, K. C. (2011). The levels of evidence and their role in evidence-based medicine. Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, 128(1), 305–310. https://dx.doi.org/10.1097%2FPRS.0b013e318219c171

These statements are provided for educational purposes only. They have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration, and are not to be interpreted as a promise, guarantee or claim of therapeutic efficacy or safety. The information contained herein is not intended to replace or substitute for conventional medical care, or encourage its abandonment.

Profile In Personalized Medicine - Tony Jones

Wed, 11 Sep 2019 17:39:00 GMT

This Profile in Personalized Medicine highlights Tony Jones, RPh, owner of Pencol Compounding Pharmacy in Denver, Colorado. A PCCA member since 1999.

How did you start compounding? What led you to PCCA?
Artie Matthys, a long time PCCA recruiter and pharmacy trainer, walked into the pharmacy, introduced himself and asked if I compounded. I said, “No,” and he informed me that I needed to be compounding. That was it for me. He convinced me, so I joined.

What makes you most excited about pharmacy compounding?
Exposure to all the unique ways we can help patients, and having to think about solutions to intriguing medical problems.

What was your toughest patient problem? How did you solve it?
I work with a family that has a daughter with a rare disease. Finding solutions to treat her non-functioning immune system, non-functioning nervous system, and allergies to dyes and fillers has been a challenging but rewarding experience. She was bitten by a tick at the age of seven, which went undetected but possibly lead to an avalanche of health issues. We continue to support her family with dye-free medications, and we have to be very careful which fillers we use to compound her medications.

What has been your most satisfying patient experience?
I love working with children who have special needs. I have a big heart for parents of sick children and the children themselves. We work with a children’s clinic that treats kids with metabolic disorders. As they age, the dose of the medication required to treat the illness changes, so we are always careful to check their dosage and counsel the parents.

What is the biggest “aha” moment you’ve had as a member of PCCA?
Chris Simmons, PCCA’s Vice President of Creative Development— he really has a wealth of knowledge. I’m better at taking care of animals because of his tutelage.

What is your favorite PCCA base, and why?
Lipoderm® — because it works for so many of the formulations we compound.

What is your favorite PCCA educational event, and why?
The C4 Veterinary Online Course because of Chris Simmons.

PCCA members can learn more about becoming veterinary compounding specialists through our C4 program on the PCCA Education page.

What advice would you give someone who is new to pharmacy compounding?
Market your ability to compound. It is the difference-maker.

Do you have a motto or words you live by?
Don’t wait until retirement to have fun. Enjoy the journey, and develop hobbies along the way.

PCCA Science Update: The Latest Scientific Publications

Mon, 08 Apr 2019 14:18:01 GMT

By Maria Carvalho, PharmD, MRPharmS, PhD

Every month, there are new scientific publications involving PCCA products or services. These publications include journal articles, conference abstracts, conference posters, technical reports and case studies. Journal articles, in particular, are the most prestigious and trustworthy publications in science. They are commonly peer-reviewed, which means that, prior to acceptance and publication, manuscripts go through a rigorous review process by international experts. Journal articles are also publications that pharmacies may use to support their compounded medications.

Below are five journal articles published recently online not only by PCCA authors, but also by independent researchers. You can always see the scientific publications involving PCCA products on the PCCA Science webpage, and you can read about some of our other recent publications here. Stay tuned for more PCCA Science updates!

Stability of Compounded Ursodiol Suspensions in PCCA Base, SuspendIt®
A stability study including Suspendit® published in the January/February 2019 issue of the International Journal of Pharmaceutical Compounding. Read the abstract here.
Serum Levetiracetam Concentrations after Transdermal Levetiracetam Administration, 3 Times Daily, to Healthy Cats
An article involving Lipoderm® published in the Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine. Access the full article here.
Quality Control and Basics of Sterile Compounding: Attempting to Avoid Out-of-Specification Results and Patient Harm in Sterile Compounding
An article published in the January/February 2019 issue of the International Journal of Pharmaceutical Compounding. Read the abstract here,
Physicochemical Stability of Extemporaneously Prepared Methylcobalamin Injections in the Presence and Absence of Preservative and the Impact of Light Exposure
A stability study published in the March/April 2019 issue of the International Journal of Pharmaceutical Compounding. Read the abstract here.
Physicochemical Stability of Compounded Naltrexone Hydrochloride Solutions in PCCA Base SuspendIt®
A stability study including SuspendIt® published in the March/April 2019 issue of the International Journal of Pharmaceutical Compounding. Read the abstract here.

Maria Carvalho, PharmD, MRPharmS, PhD, is the Manager of PCCA Science. She is a certified pharmacist in Portugal and the United Kingdom with a PhD in pharmaceutical compounding from the University College of London (UCL). Maria has worked in community pharmacy, hospital pharmacy and the pharmaceutical industry in Europe and the United States. She was a teaching assistant at the UCL School of Pharmacy (UK) and an invited teacher at the University Fernando Pessoa (Portugal). Maria is also a reviewer of compounding articles for peer-reviewed journals and has authored or co-authored several scientific publications.