Aluminum has been present in our day to day for years. As we stated in the article on The Incredible History of Aluminum, the Romans already used alum to enhance and stabilize the color in clothing dyes, but also in astringent products to treat ulcer pains or as a coagulant in wounds.
Evolution of the container in the pharmacy
The history of the pharmacy mixes with medicine. The Vedic philosophy and its remedies in India, the Egyptian codices that collect the symptoms and prescription to alleviate diseases, Chinese medicine based on Taoism and the use of medicinal plants… It was in Greece and Rome (from the 4th century BC to 476 AD) that rational medicine is initiated with Alcmeón de Crotona until later Galeon medicine appeared. Although there is no pharmacist figure as such, the Galénica pharmacy emerges.
Galen gives the technical basis for the preparation of the main pharmaceutical forms and the first auxiliaries of medicine are known: Rizotomos, Farmacopolos, the picmentarios and the ointments. But it is in 754 AD in Baghdad that the Arabs establish the first pharmacies.
If clay, glass, alabaster and serpentine containers were used in Egypt, as well as wooden boxes for the preservation of ointments and various medicines; already in the nineteenth century injectables, tablets or glass ampoules popped up. Subsequently, in the 60s and 70s, plastic was strongly used as packaging material, but today, aluminum is still the best ally to preserve pharmaceutical products. And in the pharmacy sector, the packaging of medications is of great importance. Its function is to protect from the influence of external agents and from moisture to preserve the effects that must develop once consumed and fulfill its purpose.
Why aluminum packaging?
Between the outstanding properties of the aluminum, as it gathers the Spanish Society of Aluminum, there are:
- Light, resistant and of long duration
The aluminum is a very light metal with a weight of 2.7 g / cm3, a third the weight of steel. Its strength allows to adapt it to the desired application by modifying the composition of its alloy and can be stored for a long period of time. - Resistant to corrosion
It generates a layer of oxide in a natural way that provides a high resistance to corrosion. It is especially useful for products that require protection and preservation, such as in pharmaceutical packaging. - Ductile
Aluminum is moldable and has a low density and low melting point. In a fade situation, it can be processed in different ways. It allows to manufacture simple packages and can be adapted to different needs. In addition, it is easily sealable. - Waterproof and odorless
The aluminum sheet, even when rolled to a thickness of 0.007 mm, continues to completely isolate moisture and does not allow water, light, oxygen or other external agents to access the contents or for them to lose their properties. It does not release or acquire odors or flavors. - Recyclable
Aluminum tubes can only be used once, but thanks to recycling more than 75% of the aluminum is recovered, which allows it to be used again. Therefore, it is an option that significantly takes into account its environmental impact and differentiates it from other materials such as plastic.
Due to all its properties it perfectly fits the requirements of use in pharmaceutical packaging, wrapping and keeping the contents safe.
It comes in the form of blisters, containers or tubes but in the pharmaceutical industry we highlight the usefulness of aluminum tubes for storing and distributing creams, master formulas or other pharmaceutical products. In addition, the tubes of Mytubesonline go through the rigorous quality controls that certify that they are apt for their pharmaceutical use (ISO 9001). So far this year, Witte y Solá has manufactured 75,849,390 tubes.
Find out all the possibilities in mytubesonline.com
Reader Interactions