This is not normal to administer a pure drug to a patient. Approximately all the drugs are administered in the form of medicine. A medicine is a mix of one or more drugs combined or formulated with the other inactive materials termed as excipients. Excipients themselves encompass no pharmacological activity however do contain a major influence on how the drug is absorbed and administered. The formulation of a drug to a medicine – whether it is in tablet, ointment, injection form or some type of liquid solution – is generally necessary before it can be administered to humans. Each and every medicine is a highly sophisticated product cautiously designed to fulfill its purpose, to make sure that the response to the medicine is the same each time it is administered.

The color and shape of tablets and capsules are controlled as a help to identification. Charts are available that permit us to identify all the drugs sold as proprietary preparations. The color of tablets and capsules is as well employed by manufacturers as a psychological means of raising the drug’s effect. If you look at one of the many drug identification charts obtainable in your hospital pharmacy you will notice that the capsules which have tranquillizers are in subdued, quiet colors (like dark greens, blues and even blacks), whereas the capsules for antidepressants have vibrant colors (like yellows and reds). These color combinations are a subtle attempt to improve the therapeutic effects of the medicine and comprise an illustration of using the ‘placebo’ effect in the drug administration.

By using the above information and also the information from your own sources, describe why drugs are formulated to medicines (in around 150 words).