Pulvis

Pulvis is a Latin term meaning dust or powder, used historically to denote a finely ground substance prepared for medicinal or cosmetic use. In medical and alchemical literature, pulvis referred to a powder dosage form and contrasted with other preparations such as massa (a paste) or pilula (a pill).

In medieval and early modern pharmacopoeias, preparations were commonly described as pulvis simplex (a single-ingredient powder) or pulvis compositus (a compound powder). Instructions often covered grinding or levigating ingredients, and adding diluents or aromatics to improve administration and uniformity of dose.

Powders described as pulvis were used for a range of purposes, including emetic, carminative, antacid, or aromatic applications. They could be taken dry, mixed with liquids, or dusted on the skin, depending on the intended effect and the materials involved. The form allowed flexible dosing and was a central part of premodern pharmaceutical practice.

Today, pulvis is largely an historical or literary term in professional pharmacy. Modern usage prefers the categories powder or dry dosage form, with standardization and quality control guided by contemporary pharmacopeias. The word survives in the titles of ancient or Latin texts, in prescriptions written in Latin, and in discussions of the history of pharmacy. Outside medicine, pulvis remains a general term for any fine powder, including mineral, cosmetic, or industrial powders.

See also: Pulver, Pulverization, Powder (pharmacology).