triturating

Triturating is the act of reducing a substance to fine particles by grinding, crushing, or blending, typically with a mortar and pestle or mechanical mill. The term derives from Latin triturare, to rub, grind. In pharmacy and pharmacology, triturating refers to preparing a drug by grinding it to a fine powder, often with a diluent such as lactose or starch, to yield a uniform triturate suitable for compounding or further processing. The process may be described as coarse, medium, or fine trituration, depending on particle size, and is often followed by levigation, mixing with a solvent to aid grinding or incorporate the powder into a paste.

In chemistry and materials science, trituration describes the mechanical reduction of solids to fine particles or homogeneous mixtures, used to increase surface area or to prepare samples for analysis or reaction. Equipment ranges from hand-operated mortars and pestles to ball mills and planetary mills.

In dentistry and pharmaceutical compounding, triturates and triturations are used to blend drugs with vehicles, achieve consistent dosing, or facilitate dissolution. In homeopathy, triturations are a class of potentized remedies formed by repeated grinding with lactose or sucrose, though practices and evidence differ from conventional pharmacology.

Safety and quality considerations include avoiding cross-contamination, using appropriate materials to avoid reactions, and documenting particle size and diluent ratios. Triturating remains a fundamental preparatory technique across disciplines, facilitating uniform mixing, increased drug release, and controlled formulation of powders and pastes.