This brief instruction sheet is designed to allow anyone wanting to incorporate an herb, supplement, or drug already in powder form into PhloJel Ultra. It requires the use of supplies easily obtained or found around the average household. More sophisticated methods of compounding are possible using specific tools intended for compounding pharmacists. These are not discussed herein.
Supplies:
Active Ingredient in Powder Form
PHLOJEL Ultra – www.jarpharmaceutical.com
Solvent (optional)
Mortar & Pestle
Rubber Spatula – narrowest one used for icing a cake
Scale
1⁄4 Teaspoon
70% Isopropyl Alcohol
Paper Towels (white – no coloring or printing)
Parchment paper or equivalent
Assumptions:
You are starting with a raw powder or have reduced your active to powder from tablets or by way of extraction.
The final product will yield 60ml at the desired concentration. You are using PhloJel Ultra as the vehicle.
This tutorial will cover concentrations as high as 12.5%. For higher concentrations, specific solvents must be used in the levigation process.
An additional 10% is figured into the measurements to accommodate any wasted materials as a result of the process. This will maintain the target concentration as a minimum.
Before we begin: Clean all utensils that will be used in the compounding process. Wash with hot water and surfactant cleanser, dry thoroughly, and then apply liberal amounts of isopropyl alcohol with a clean paper towel. Allow to dry thoroughly.
Step 1 – Weighing Materials
Place a piece of parchment paper on your scale. Either zero your scale or note the weight of the parchment paper and add it to your total weight. Now add your powder gradually using 1⁄4 teaspoon until it is the desired weight.
Powder Weights:
Concentration | Total Powder Weight* |
2.5% - or – 25mg/ml | 1.65 Grams |
5% - or – 50mg/ml | 3.30 Grams |
7.5% - or 75mg/ml | 4.95 Grams |
10% - or 100mg/ml | 6.60 Grams |
12.5% - or 125mg/ml | 8.25 Grams |
Includes an additional 10% material weight to overcome any loss through the compounded process.
Once you have weighed your powder, remove the parchment paper with the powder on it and place it out of the way.
Next, weigh out your PhloJel Ultra. Once again place a piece of parchment paper on your scale. Be sure it is large enough to hold the total amount of PhloJel Ultra you will be weighing out. Either zero your scale or note the weight of the parchment paper and add it to your total weight.
PhloJel Ultra Weights:
Concentration per 60Ml | Total PhloJel Ultra Weight* |
60 Ml at 2.5% - or – 25mg/ml | 64 Grams |
60 Ml at 5% - or – 50mg/ml | 62 Grams |
60 Ml at 7.5% - or 75mg/ml | 60.5 Grams |
60 Ml at 10% - or 100mg/ml | 58.75 Grams |
60 Ml at 12.5% - or 125mg/ml | 57 Grams |
Includes an additional 10% material weight to overcome any loss through the compounded process.
Step 2 – Triturating the Powder
Add your weighed powder to the mortar and begin to triturate with the pestle. NOTE: Be sure that there is no moisture in the mortar or this will cause the powder to conglomerate. Be careful not to press too hard or the powder will compress and stick to the sides of the mortar.
Selectively seek out the largest granules of the powder first and reduce them to fine powder. Then, beginning up high on the wall of the mortar, push the pestle down and towards the center of the mortar in a straight line, slightly rotating the mortar after each stroke. Continue this process until the powder is as fine as possible. This should take approximately 5 - 10 minutes depending upon the original mesh size and grittiness of the powder.
Take the rubber spatula and scour the side of the mortar to remove any powder that may have become compressed and stuck there. Push this powder down to the center of the mortar. Once the powder is all in the center of the mortar, use the spatula to gently chop any that was compressed back into fine powder.
Step 3 – Adding the PhloJel Ultra
Employ the geometric dilution method. Add the smallest amount of PhloJel Ultra necessary to begin the compounding process and use this as a levigating agent. Then add progressively larger amounts and continue the process.
Visually estimate 1/5th of the PhloJel Ultra that you previously weighed out. Using the spatula, separate this and place it into the mortar along with the powder being careful not to drop it too hard onto the powder as this may cause some of the powder to waft out of the mortar. Use the spatula to gently roll the PhloJel Ultra over the powder so that some of the powder coats the outside like a frosting. Press the PhloJel Ultra into the powder using the flat side of the spatula. Continue this motion of pressing the PhloJel Ultra into the powder so that all of the powder is picked up into the PhloJel Ultra. Blend the powder using a series of pressing, rolling, and spreading motions – this is the levigating process. Be cautious not to move too abruptly as this will cause some of the powder to be thrown from the mortar. Thoroughly mix this smallest amount of PhloJel Ultra with the powder until the powder is consistently incorporated. Depending upon your target concentration, you will end up with a very thick, almost chalk-like base. This is what you want at this point.
Visually estimate 1/3rd of the remaining PhloJel Ultra and add it to the mortar. Continue the process of blending to incorporate the additional PhloJel Ultra. NOTE: Periodically take the flat side of the spatula and spread the PhloJel Ultra against the base of the mortar, pressing somewhat hard in a spreading type fashion. This will allow you to see if there are any larger particles that still need to be reduced. You can use the spatula to reduce them or the pestle once you have found any. Perform this motion throughout as you blend the PhloJel Ultra with your powder.
Visually estimate half of the remaining PhloJel Ultra and add it to the mortar, continuing to blend the batch. Then add the last remaining amount of PhloJel Ultra and perform the final blending process. Once you are satisfied that the powder has been evenly distributed throughout and no signs of grit are present when you use the flat side of the spatula to expose them, you are now done with this batch!
Final Note
Depending upon the active ingredients you’ve incorporated into PhloJel Ultra, it may be wise to allow it to sit overnight to allow the PhloJel Ultra to completely absorb all of the powder.
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