Pharmaceutical Excipients 2

Acidifying agent

Used in liquid preparations to provide acidic medium for product stability

1) Citric acid

2) Acetic acid

3) Fumaric acid

Alkalinizing agent

Used in liquid preparations to provide alkaline medium for product stability

1) Ammonia solution

2) Ammonium carbonate

3) Diethanolamine

Adsorbent

An agent capable of holding other molecules onto its surface by physical or chemical (chemisorption) means

1) Powdered cellulose

2) Activated charcoal

Aerosol propellant

Agent responsible for developing the pressure within an aerosol container and expelling the product when the valve is opened

1) Carbon dioxide

2) Dichlorodifluoromethane

3) Dichlorotetrafluoroethane

Air displacement

Agent employed to displace air in a hermetically sealed container to enhance product stability

1) Nitrogen

2) Carbon dioxide

Antifungal preservative

Used in liquid and semisolid preparations to prevent growth of fungi. Effectiveness of parabens is usually enhanced by use in combination

1) Butylparaben

2) Ethylparaben

3) Methylparaben

Antimicrobial preservative

Used in liquid and semisolid preparations to prevent growth of microorganisms

1) Benzalkonium chloride

Antioxidant

Used to prevent deterioration of preparations by oxidation

1) Ascorbic acid

2) Ascorbyl palmitate

3) Butylated hydroxyanisole

Buffering agent

Used to resist change in pH upon dilution or addition of acid or alkali

1) Potassium metaphosphate

2) Potassium phosphate, monobasic

3) Sodium acetate

Chelating agent

Substance that forms stable watersoluble complexes (chelates) with metals; used in some liquid pharmaceuticals as stabilizers to complex heavy metals that might promote instability. In such use, they are also called sequestering agents

1) Edetic acid

2) Edetate disodium

Colorant

Used to impart color to liquid and solid (e.g., tablets and capsules) preparations

1) FD&C Red No.3

2) FD&C Red No. 20

3) FD&C Yellow No. 6

Clarifying agent

Used as a filtering aid for its adsorbent qualities

1) Bentonite

Emulsifying agent

Used to promote and maintain dispersion of finely subdivided particles of liquid in a vehicle in which it is immiscible. End product may be a liquid emulsion or semisolid emulsion (e.g., a cream)

1) Acacia

2) Cetomacrogol

3) Cetyl alcohol

Encapsulating agent

Used to form thin shells to enclose a drug for ease of administration

1) Gelatin

Flavorant

Used to impart a pleasant flavor and often odor to a preparation. In addition to the natural flavorants listed, many synthetic ones are used

1) Anise oil

2) Cinnamon oil

3) Cocoa

Humectant

Used to prevent drying of preparations, particularly ointments and creams

1) Glycerin

2) Propylene glycol

3) Sorbitol

Levigating agent

Liquid used as an intervening agent to reduce the particle size of a powder by grinding, usually in a mortar

1) Mineral oil

2) Glycerin

3) Propylene glycol

Ointment base

Semisolid vehicle for medicated ointments

1) Lanolin

2) Hydrophilic ointment

3) Polyethylene glycol ointment

Plasticizer

Component of film-coating solutions to make film more pliable, enhance spread of coat over tablets, beads, and granules

1) Diethyl phthalate

2) Glycerin

Solvent

Used to dissolve another substance in preparation of a solution; may be aqueous or not (e.g., oleaginous). Cosolvents, such as water and alcohol (hydroalcoholic) and water and glycerin, may be used when needed. Sterile solvents are used in certain preparations (e.g., injections)

1) Alcohol

2) Corn oil

3) Cottonseed oil

Stiffening agent

Used to increase thickness or hardness of a preparation, usually an ointment

1) Cetyl alcohol

2) Cetyl esters wax

3) Microcrystalline wax

Suppository base

Vehicle for suppositories

1) Cocoa butter

2) Polyethylene glycols (mixtures)

3) PEG 3350

Surfactant (surface active agent)

Substances that absorb to surfaces or interfaces to reduce surface or interfacial tension. May be used as wetting agents, detergents, or emulsifying agents

1) Benzalkonium chloride

2) Nonoxynol 10

3) Octoxynol 9

Suspending agent

Viscosity-increasing agent used to reduce sedimentation rate of particles in a vehicle in which they are not soluble; suspension may be formulated for oral, parenteral, ophthalmic, topical, or other route

1) Agar

2) Bentonite

3) Carbomer (e.g., Carbopol)

Sweetening agent

Used to impart sweetness to a preparation

1) Aspartame

2) Dextrose

3) Glycerin

Tablet antiadherents

Prevent tablet ingredients from sticking to punches and dies during production

1) Magnesium stearate

Tablet binders

Substances used to cause adhesion of powder particles in tablet granulations

1) Acacia

2) Alginic acid

3) Carboxymethylcellulose sodium

Tablet and capsule diluent

Inert filler to create desired bulk, flow properties, and compression characteristics of tablets and capsules

1) Dibasic calcium phosphate

2) Kaolin

3) Lactose

Tablet coating agent

Used to coat a tablet to protect against decomposition by atmospheric oxygen or humidity, to provide a desired release pattern, to mask taste or odor, or for aesthetic purposes. Coating may be sugar, film or thick covering around a tablet. Sugar-coated tablets generally start to break up in the stomach. Film forms a thin cover around a formed tablet or bead. Unless it is enteric, film dissolves in the stomach. Enteric coating passes through the stomach to break up in the intestines. Some water-insoluble coatings (e.g., ethylcellulose) are used to slow the release of drug in the gastrointestinal tract.

(Refer to definition only)

Sugar coating

1) Liquid glucose

2) Sucrose

Film coating

1) Hydroxyethyl cellulose

2) Hydroxypropyl cellulose

3) Hydroxypropyl methylcellulose

Enteric coating

1) Cellulose acetate phthalate

2) Shellac (35% in alcohol, pharmaceutical glaze)

Tablet direct compression excipient

Used in direct compression tablet formulations

1) Disbasic calcium phosphate (e.g., Ditab)

Tablet disintegrant

Used in solid forms to promote disruption of the mass into smaller particles more readily dispersed or dissolved

1) Alginic acid

2) Polacrilin potassium (e.g., Amberlite)

3) Sodium alginate

Tablet glidant

Used in tablet and capsule formulations to improve flow properties of the powder mixture

1) Colloidal silica

2) Cornstarch

3) Talc

Tablet lubricant

Used in tablet formulations to reduce friction during tablet compression

1) Calcium stearate

2) Magnesium stearate

3) Mineral oil

Tablet or capsule opaquant

Used to render a coating opaque. May be used alone or with a colorant

1) Titanium dioxide

Tablet polishing agent

Used to impart an attractive sheen to coated tablets

1) Carnauba wax

2) White wax

Tonicity agent

Used to render solution similar in osmotic-dextrose characteristics to physiologic fluids, e.g., in ophthalmic, parenteral, and irrigation fluids

1) Sodium chloride

Vehicle

Carrying agent used in formulating a variety of liquids for oral and parenteral administration. Generally, oral liquids are aqueous (e.g., syrups) or hydroalcoholic (e.g., elixirs). Solutions for intravenous use are aqueous, whereas intramuscular injections may be aqueous or oleaginous

(Refer to Definition only)

Flavored, sweetened

1) Acacia syrup

2) Aromatic syrup

3) Aromatic elixir

Oleaginous

1) Corn oil

2) Mineral oil

3) Peanut oil

Sterile

1) Bacteriostatic sodium chloride injection

Viscosity-increasing agent

Used to render preparations more resistant to flow. Used in suspensions to deter sedimentation, in ophthalmic solutions to enhance contact time (e.g., methylcellulose), to thicken topical creams, etc.

1) Alginic acid

2) Bentonite

3) Carbomer