Ointment is best described as what?

• A. A semi-solid mixture of organic substances and a medicinal agent with no water
• B. A watery solution with dissolved medicines
• C. A powder without moisture
• D. A gas-phase mixture

Answer: (A)

Ointments are semisolid topical preparations where the medicinal agent is dispersed in a greasy, oil-based base with little or no water. This oily base creates an occlusive layer on the skin, helping retain moisture and allow slow, steady release of the medication. That combination—semi-solid, oil-based, and water-free—is what gives ointments their characteristic texture and purpose. A watery solution would be too runny to stay in place on the skin, a powder is a dry solid rather than a semisolid vehicle, and a gas-phase mixture isn’t suitable for topical application. Therefore, the description that matches an ointment is a semi-solid mixture of organic substances and a medicinal agent with no water.