A Comprehensive Text Book for GENERAL PHARMACY Theory and Practice

General Pharmacy occupies a unique place in the pharmacy curriculum. It is the very first subject that introduces a new student to the profession — its history, its scope, the standards that govern the quality of medicines, and the practical skills of calculation and compounding that every pharmacist must master. A strong grasp of these fundamentals in the first semester makes every subsequent subject, from pharmaceutics to pharmacology, considerably easier to understand. This book is organised into five units that mirror the approved syllabus. Unit I introduces the profession of pharmacy, its historical evolution in India, its scope across community, hospital, and industrial settings, the major pharmacopoeias that set quality standards, and the anatomy of a medical prescription. Unit II builds the essential mathematical toolkit of the pharmacist — the metric system, alligation, proof spirit calculations, isotonic and dilute solutions, posology, and a first survey of dosage forms, active pharmaceutical ingredients, and excipients. Unit III deals with solid dosage forms — powders, tablets, and capsules. Unit IV covers monophasic and biphasic liquid dosage forms, including solutions for internal and external use, suspensions, and emulsions. Unit V completes the journey with semisolid dosage forms — ointments, pastes, creams, gels — and suppositories. Each chapter has been written in simple, direct language, with definitions set out clearly, classifications presented in tabular form for quick revision, and worked examples provided wherever calculations are involved. Diagrams are described in words where a visual would normally appear, so that the reader can sketch and internalise each concept while studying. Review questions are placed at the end of every chapter to help students test their understanding and prepare for examinations.