Pharmacist Previous Year Question Papers

Pharmacist previous year question papers are a valuable resource for candidates preparing for exams. They provide insight into the pattern, types of questions asked, and important topics. This guide offers a collection of questions and answers across various subjects to help aspirants prepare effectively and enhance their knowledge.

Pharmaceutics Questions and Answers

Question: What is bioavailability?

Answer: Bioavailability is the rate and extent to which an active drug ingredient is absorbed and becomes available at the site of action.

Question: Define sustained-release dosage forms.

Answer: Sustained-release dosage forms are designed to release the drug at a predetermined rate to maintain a constant drug concentration for a specific period.

Question: What is granulation?

Answer: Granulation is the process of forming grains or granules from a powdery substance to improve flow properties and compressibility.

Question: Explain the term dissolution.

Answer: Dissolution is the process by which a solid substance dissolves in a solvent to form a solution.

Question: What is the function of a disintegrant in tablets?

Answer: A disintegrant helps tablets break down into smaller particles for better absorption in the gastrointestinal tract.

Question: Define first-pass metabolism.

Answer: First-pass metabolism is the metabolism of a drug before it reaches systemic circulation, primarily occurring in the liver.

Question: What is the significance of pH in drug formulation?

Answer: pH affects drug stability, solubility, and absorption, influencing the efficacy of a formulation.

Question: What are enteric-coated tablets?

Answer: Enteric-coated tablets are designed to bypass the stomach and dissolve in the intestine to prevent gastric irritation or degradation by stomach acid.

Question: Define the term emulsions.

Answer: Emulsions are mixtures of two immiscible liquids, typically oil and water, stabilized by an emulsifying agent.

Question: What is the role of preservatives in formulations?

Answer: Preservatives prevent microbial growth, extending the shelf life of pharmaceutical products.

Question: What are suppositories?

Answer: Suppositories are solid dosage forms intended for insertion into body cavities, such as the rectum, where they dissolve or melt.

Question: Define isotonic solutions.

Answer: Isotonic solutions have the same osmotic pressure as body fluids, preventing irritation when administered.

Question: What is lyophilization?

Answer: Lyophilization, or freeze-drying, is a process to remove water from a product by sublimation to enhance stability.

Question: Explain the term micromeritics.

Answer: Micromeritics is the study of small particles, including their size, shape, surface area, and flow properties.

Question: What is a prodrug?

Answer: A prodrug is an inactive compound that undergoes biotransformation in the body to produce an active drug.

Question: What is a diluent?

Answer: A diluent is an inactive substance added to a formulation to increase its bulk and improve handling.

Question: Define aerosols.

Answer: Aerosols are pressurized dosage forms that release active ingredients as fine particles or mist upon activation.

Question: What is partition coefficient?

Answer: Partition coefficient is the ratio of a compound’s concentration in a lipophilic phase to its concentration in a hydrophilic phase.

Question: What is the purpose of a buffer system in formulations?

Answer: Buffer systems maintain the pH of a formulation to enhance stability and compatibility.

Pharmacology Questions and Answers

Question: What is pharmacokinetics?

Answer: Pharmacokinetics is the study of the absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion of drugs.

Question: Define pharmacodynamics.

Answer: Pharmacodynamics is the study of the biochemical and physiological effects of drugs and their mechanisms of action.

Question: What is the role of a receptor in drug action?

Answer: A receptor is a protein that binds to a drug to initiate its effects in the body.

Question: Define agonists.

Answer: Agonists are substances that bind to receptors and activate them to produce a biological response.

Question: What are antagonists?

Answer: Antagonists are substances that bind to receptors but do not activate them, blocking the action of agonists.

Question: What is the therapeutic index?

Answer: The therapeutic index is the ratio between the toxic dose and the effective dose of a drug, indicating its safety margin.

Question: Define half-life of a drug.

Answer: Half-life is the time required for the concentration of a drug in the plasma to reduce by half.

Question: What are prodrugs?

Answer: Prodrugs are inactive compounds that convert into active drugs in the body through metabolic processes.

Question: What is enzyme induction?

Answer: Enzyme induction is the increase in enzyme activity, often leading to faster drug metabolism.

Question: Define bioequivalence.

Answer: Bioequivalence refers to the absence of significant differences in bioavailability between two pharmaceutical products.

Question: What are adrenergic drugs?

Answer: Adrenergic drugs mimic the effects of adrenaline and noradrenaline, stimulating the sympathetic nervous system.

Question: Define anticholinergic drugs.

Answer: Anticholinergic drugs block the action of acetylcholine in the parasympathetic nervous system.

Question: What is the mechanism of action of beta-blockers?

Answer: Beta-blockers inhibit beta-adrenergic receptors, reducing heart rate and blood pressure.

Question: What are diuretics?

Answer: Diuretics are drugs that increase urine output to remove excess fluid from the body.

Question: What is the action of NSAIDs?

Answer: NSAIDs inhibit cyclooxygenase enzymes, reducing inflammation, pain, and fever.

Question: Define the term synergism.

Answer: Synergism occurs when two drugs produce a combined effect greater than the sum of their individual effects.

Question: What are opioids?

Answer: Opioids are drugs that act on opioid receptors to produce pain relief and euphoria.

Question: What is the difference between bactericidal and bacteriostatic antibiotics?

Answer: Bactericidal antibiotics kill bacteria, while bacteriostatic antibiotics inhibit bacterial growth.

Question: Define the term loading dose.

Answer: A loading dose is a higher initial dose of a drug to quickly achieve therapeutic levels in the bloodstream.

Pharmaceutical Chemistry Questions and Answers

Question: What is the difference between organic and inorganic compounds?

Answer: Organic compounds contain carbon-hydrogen bonds, while inorganic compounds do not.

Question: Define pKa.

Answer: pKa is the negative logarithm of the acid dissociation constant, indicating the strength of an acid.

Question: What is the role of a catalyst in a reaction?

Answer: A catalyst speeds up a chemical reaction without being consumed in the process.

Question: Define stereoisomerism.

Answer: Stereoisomerism occurs when compounds have the same molecular formula but different spatial arrangements of atoms.

Question: What is a nucleophile?

Answer: A nucleophile is a species that donates an electron pair to form a chemical bond.

Question: Define electrophiles.

Answer: Electrophiles are species that accept electron pairs to form chemical bonds.

Question: What is a buffer solution?

Answer: A buffer solution resists changes in pH when small amounts of acid or base are added.

Question: Define chromatography.

Answer: Chromatography is a technique for separating and analyzing components in a mixture based on their interaction with a stationary and mobile phase.

Question: What is a coordination compound?

Answer: A coordination compound consists of a central metal atom bonded to surrounding ligands through coordinate covalent bonds.

Question: What is a functional group in organic chemistry?

Answer: A functional group is a specific group of atoms responsible for the characteristic reactions of a molecule.

Question: Define enantiomers.

Answer: Enantiomers are stereoisomers that are non-superimposable mirror images of each other.

Question: What is the purpose of the IUPAC naming system?

Answer: The IUPAC naming system provides standardized rules for naming chemical compounds.

Question: Define oxidation and reduction.

Answer: Oxidation involves the loss of electrons, while reduction involves the gain of electrons.

Question: What is an azeotrope?

Answer: An azeotrope is a mixture of two or more liquids that has a constant boiling point and composition during distillation.

Question: Define the term electrophoresis.

Answer: Electrophoresis is a technique to separate charged particles based on their movement in an electric field.

Question: What are polymers?

Answer: Polymers are large molecules made up of repeating structural units.