Preparation of simple syrup ( B.P and USP )
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What is simple syrup?
The syrup is an aqueous solution nearly saturated with sugar i.e. sucrose in water. The medicinal and flavoring agents may or may not be present.
It
can be made using various techniques, such as heating, agitating, percolating, or adding sugar to the flavoring liquid or medicated liquid. The
process is chosen based on the physical and chemical characteristics of the
syrup's constituents.
In dilute solution,
Due to less amount of sucrose, microbial growth can occur.
In a concentrated solution;
it retard microbial growth. However, crystallization of sucrose may occur
under a change in temperature.
Types of syrups.
simple syrup Bp A: types of syrups: pharmacyteach.com |
Non-Medicated syrup
Some varieties of aromatic or other flavors, such as cherry, acacia, orange, and cocoa, are present in flavorful syrups. It serves as a vehicle for a variety of adult and pediatric prescription drugs
Medicated syrup
The syrup which contains medicinal ingredients is known as medicated syrup. In medicated syrup, such as cough syrup, the medication (drug molecule) replaces the sucrose entirely or in part.
Sugar-free syrup:
Some syrups are without sugar, which is
called sugar-free syrup. The sugar-free syrup is used for
diabetes patients.
Syrup can also be prepared by; Manufactureof simple syrup using a steam jacketed kettle
Preparation methods of simple syrups ;
1. By heating
method
2. By agitation method
3. By percolation method
1. Simple syrup by heating method (B. P)
Apparatus:
- Weight
balance
- Bunsen
burner
- beaker
- tripod
- spatula
- stirrer or glass rod
chemicals required :
- sugar....................66.7g
- water...............100g
Calculation:
To
prepare 100 grams of the product, 66.7 grams of sucrose are needed.
To
prepare Y mg of the product, X gm. of sucrose is needed.
Table 1 Formulation Table for simple syrup
Sr. no. |
Name of
Ingredient |
Quantity |
Role |
1 |
Sucrose |
66.7 g |
Sweetener |
2 |
Purified water |
100 g |
Vehicle |
The formula for finding sucrose quantity |
Procedure :
- weight
a definite amount of sugar and add the specified amount of water in a
beaker.
- Add a small amount of filtered water to the beaker containing the sucrose, and stir it using a glass rod or stirrer.
- Heat
the solution on a burner with continuous stirring until all sucrose gets
dissolved very well.
- At the
end, add water to make up the final volume of the syrup.
To get rid of the contaminants in the finished solution, filter it using muslin fabric.
After this, allowing the solution to cool to room temperature, pour it into the appropriate container.
Preservatives used in simple syrup
Precaution:-
- Avoid excessive heating of the syrup
because after a long time of heating the ingredients e,g, sucrose is converted into glucose
and fructose, and the Simple sugar syrup will be formed.
- Avoid overheating the solution as this will result in the creation of laevulose and dextrose from sucrose. This hydrolytic process is called inversion, and the resultant mixture of laevulose and dextrose is called inverted syrup.
Uses
:
✒ Simple syrup is used as a sweetening agent.
✒ It is used as a vehicle for the formation of medicated
syrups.
2. Simple syrup by agitation method (B. P)
Syrups containing
volatile chemicals are prepared using the agitation method. This procedure involves
adding an active ingredient to a solution and stirring it in a glass-stoppered
bottle. To prevent contamination and solution loss throughout the process, the
bottle must be closed. A glass-lined tank with mechanical agitators is used to
prepare huge quantities. A wide range of syrups can be prepared using this
procedure. This method is frequently used to make cough syrups, such as codeine
syrup, ephedrine sulfate syrup, etc.
Apparatus:
- Beaker
- spatula
- glass rod
- watch glass
- weighing balance
Ingredients :
- Sucrose ................667
g
- purified water........1000
g
Procedure:
✔ weight the specified amount of sucrose.
✔ Transfer the sucrose into the bottle
double the size required for the end formation of syrup.
✔ Capping the bottle is important because it
prevents contamination and loss during the process.
✔ keep
on agitating until all the sucrose gets dissolved.
✔ add additional water to produce the
required amount of syrup.
Also, read; Why Ringer lactate solution should be avoided in liver disease.
3 . Preparation of Simple syrup (USP) by Percolation method :
The
percolation process involves passing the liquid through either sugar or a powdered
medication In order to extract the soluble components of a liquid. The syrup is
made by putting sucrose in a percolator and passing the percolate through it
several times until the sucrose dissolves.
Apparatus :
- cotton swab
- Funnel
- Spatula
- Stand
- Beaker
- Weighing balance
Ingredients :
- sucrose
.............850 g
- Purified water...1000ml
Condition:
⇛ if any volatile constituent is to be added then this method is employed.
Procedure
:
⇛ Weight the amount of sucrose
and fill the neck of the funnel with it.
⇛ Now add water to the funnel in the
low quantities possible.
⇛ The water is allowed to pass
slowly through a bed of crystalline sucrose-forming syrup.
⇛ This syrup is collected in a
beaker.
⇛ In the final step, add a sufficient amount of water is passed through the cotton to make the required volume.
Description:
⇛ A neat and clear liquid appearance.
Specific
gravity
the specific
gravity of syrup is 1.313
Storage ;
⇛ Store in tight
containers, at room temperature no more than 25 °C.
Important notes
While the hot method is the fastest, it is unsuitable for syrups containing thermolabile or volatile components. When applying heat, it is essential to maintain precise temperature control to prevent the syrup from decomposing and darkening due to caramelization. Syrups can also be formulated using sugars other than sucrose, such as glucose and fructose, as well as non-sugar polyols like sorbitol, glycerin, propylene glycol, and mannitol. Additionally, non-nutritive artificial sweeteners, including aspartame and saccharin, may be utilized when reducing caloric content or glucogenic properties is necessary, particularly for diabetic patients. However, non-nutritive sweeteners do not provide the typical viscosity associated with syrups, necessitating the incorporation of viscosity enhancers like methylcellulose. Although polyols are less sweet than sucrose, they offer beneficial viscosity, help mitigate cap-locking caused by sucrose crystallization, and can serve as cosolvents and preservatives. A commercially available 70% sorbitol solution is often used as a vehicle.
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