Experimental Multidisciplinary Approach Based on Compounded Capsule's Quality Evaluation for Pharmacy Undergraduate...

Area of Science:

• Pharmaceutical Sciences
• Analytical Chemistry
• Pharmacology

Background:

• Active learning is prevalent in pharmacy education but often lacks multidisciplinary integration.
• Compounded medications require rigorous quality control to ensure patient safety and therapeutic efficacy.
• Captopril is a critical medication for managing systemic arterial hypertension, a widespread condition.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and demonstrate an active, multidisciplinary learning approach for pharmacy students.
• To evaluate the quality of compounded captopril capsules from various pharmacies.
• To identify educational gaps and foster discussions on the pharmacist's role in quality assurance.

Main Methods:

• A multidisciplinary active learning strategy was designed and implemented by undergraduate students.
• Sixty captopril 25 mg capsules from four compounding pharmacies (12 batches) were procured.
• Quality assessment included visual inspection, label verification (Brazilian Pharmacopoeia), weight variation, and dosage uniformity (iodine titration).

Main Results:

• All batches met general quality standards; however, one pharmacy failed label criteria.
• Three batches exhibited weight variation outside acceptable limits.
• Five batches demonstrated unacceptable captopril dosage uniformity, indicating potential therapeutic risks.

Conclusions:

• The active, multidisciplinary approach effectively engaged students in critical quality evaluation of compounded medications.
• Significant quality deviations in captopril capsules underscore the need for enhanced pharmacist training in analytical techniques and quality control.
• This educational model promotes discussion on analytical chemistry, pharmacology, ethics, and the pharmacist's crucial role in public health.