How much base pseudoephedrine is contained in a 30mg tablet?

In the context of understanding the content of pseudoephedrine in a tablet formulation, it's important to recognize that the weight listed on the packaging—such as 30mg for a pseudoephedrine tablet—does not always equate to the entire base weight of the compound due to the presence of salts and other components.

Pseudoephedrine is often provided in the form of a salt, specifically pseudoephedrine hydrochloride. This salt form contains not only the pseudoephedrine base but also hydrochloric acid, which contributes additional weight. When calculating the amount of base pseudoephedrine, it's necessary to account for the molecular weight disparity between the base and the salt.

Typically, the conversion factor used is approximately 82% for pseudoephedrine hydrochloride to calculate the amount of the base. Given a 30mg tablet of pseudoephedrine hydrochloride, taking 82% of this value provides the amount of base pseudoephedrine:

30mg x 0.82 = 24.6mg

Thus, the amount of base pseudoephedrine contained in a 30mg tablet is about 24.65mg. This understanding is crucial for pharmacists when considering dosage adjustments, patient advice on medication,