News
Common Excipients Used in Pharmaceutical Formulations
The pharmaceutical industry is built on its beneficial products, but without the invisible power of excipients, these life-saving and life-changing medications would prove not nearly as effective. Pharmaceutical ingredient supplier Bell Chem wishes to highlight several functions of excipients that your industry might find even more beneficial than active ingredients.
What are Excipients?
Excipients are described as anything other than the active pharmaceutical ingredient. These products have a range of properties and functions, allowing medicines to act and react properly.
Binders
Without a binder, a tablet or capsule would crumble upon impact with another capsule. Keeping the integrity of medications intact is the duty of binders such as microcrystalline cellulose.
Disintegrants
On the opposite side of the binders are the disintegrants. These ingredients, such as sodium starch glycolate and croscarmellose sodium, react with the normal chemical processes of the human body and cause the capsule or tablet to break apart when digested.
Colorants
Colorants, such as titanium dioxide, have two roles: they appeal to consumers as they ensure the medication is either the correct dose or even the correct medication.
Dilutents
When the active ingredient of a medication is to be administered sparingly, a diluent such as lactose increases the volume of the capsule.
Lubricants
Lubricants are utilized during the manufacturing process to prevent capsules or tablets, or even individual ingredients, from adhering to the industrial equipment. A fine example of a lubricant is magnesium stearate.
Preservatives
In liquid medications, excipients such as carrageenan, guar gum, and xanthan gum ensure the active ingredient remains unchanged from one dosage to the next.
The manufacture of medication is not inexpensive, and preservatives assure their shelf life is extended to at least the useful life of the medication’s active ingredients. Preservatives such as sodium benzoate and sorbic acid prevent the growth of microbes, which can alter the delivery of the active ingredient.
Sweeteners
Not all patients are adults, and sweeteners are welcome additions to children’s medications. Natural sweeteners such as sorbitol and artificial sweeteners such as aspartame are regularly added to medications to ensure patients enjoy their medications enough to take them on schedule.
“Time-release” Excipients
Hydroxypropyl cellulose is an excipient regularly used to control the release of the active ingredient. Medications touted as “time release” or “12-hour release” contain these important excipients.
Humectants
Topical applications include glycerine and sorbitol as humectants to increase absorption into the epidermis.
Bell Chem is your pharmaceutical ingredient supplier based in Longwood, FL (just north of Orlando) with hundreds of products stocked in their 50,000+ square-foot warehouse, including a wide variety of excipients. You can expect the highest quality products, expedited shipping options for maximum efficiency, and unrivaled personalized customer service. Let our knowledgeable and friendly customer service representatives and accounting staff personalize all your needs by either calling 407-339-BELL (2355) or by sending us an online message.