Pharmacopoeia

PHARMACOPOEIA (from Greek pharmakon - drug, and poieo - I make), a collection of standards for medicinal products and regulations for the preparation of certain pharmaceutical forms. The publication of the first official book of this kind dates back to the 9th century (the Arab Krabaddin). In Russia, the first Pharmacopoeia was published in Latin in 1770. It was republished several times until the first Pharmacopoeia in Russian was issued in 1866. Subsequently, the 2nd Pharmacopoeia was published in 1871, the 3rd in 1880, the 4th in 1891, the 5th in 1902, and the 6th in 1910. The currently effective 7th Pharmacopoeia of the USSR was compiled by a special commission under the Scientific Medical Council of the People's Commissariat of Health of the RSFSR and issued by agreement of the latter with the People's Commissariat of Health of the union republics in 1925 as the 7th edition. Expanded and modified printings of it were released in 1929 and 1934. Before the revolution, the military and naval departments issued their own special pharmacopoeias, whereas the Soviet Pharmacopoeia is unified for all departments. The instructions of the Pharmacopoeia are mandatory for all institutions and persons manufacturing, storing, and dispensing drugs throughout the country. The Pharmacopoeia includes a list of the most commonly used medications in alphabetical order, devoting a special entry to each drug preparation, which provides a description of the physical properties of the preparation, methods for determining its identity and purity, storage methods, and maximum doses. For certain preparations (galenicals), the manufacturing method is indicated. The 7th Pharmacopoeia includes reagents and solutions necessary for testing pharmaceutical products, rules for the storage and dispensing of poisonous and potent substances, an antidote table, and a number of other instructions. When prescribing medicines, physicians are required to be guided by the current Pharmacopoeia. In this regard, the instructions on maximum doses, rules for prescribing and preparing pharmaceutical forms and dispensing medications, and on antidotes and aids in cases of poisoning are particularly important. Physicians have the right to prescribe medications not listed in the Pharmacopoeia; in this case, the pharmacy is guided by foreign pharmacopoeias or other reliable literature. Pharmacopoeias are compiled and published (or approved) in all countries by state medical administrations. At the same time, each country strives to make maximum use of its own raw materials and the products of its industry. To establish uniformity in research methods, quality assessment, and dosage of potent substances, international conventions were drawn up in 1906 and 1925 (the latter without the participation of the USSR).