Study of impregnation and drying factors in the characteristics of globules used in homeopathy

Abstract

Globules are one of the most dosage forms dispensed in homeopathic pharmacies in Brazil. This work aimed at comparing different impregnation techniques specified in the Brazilian Homeopathic Pharmacopoeia 2 Edition and Manual of Technical Norms for Homeopathic Pharmacy 3 Edition and the practical in homeopathic pharmacies in the city of Florianópolis, state of Santa Catarina, Brazil. The formulations variables percent active raw material (3 and 10%), impregnation type (simple and triple) and the process variable drying temperature (20 and 50ºC) were analyzed through a factorial design 2³. The studied answers were the weight before and after the impregnation and time of disaggregation. The results show a larger weight difference with the 10% impregnation and the drying of 50ºC, regardless of the impregnation type. The time of disaggregation wasn't influenced by the studied variables (p < 0.05). The best homogeneity was verified for the formulation with triple impregnation at 10%.