Pharmaceutical Excipients

Acidifying agent

1) Citric acid

2) Acetic acid

3) Fumaric acid

Used in liquid preparations to provide acidic medium for product stability

Alkalinizing agent

1) Ammonia solution

2) Ammonium carbonate

3) Diethanolamine

Used in liquid preparations to provide alkaline medium for product stability

Adsorbent

1) Powdered cellulose

2) Activated charcoal

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

Aerosol propellant

1) Carbon dioxide

2) Dichlorodifluoromethane

3) Dichlorotetrafluoroethane

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

Air displacement

1) Nitrogen

2) Carbon dioxide

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

Antifungal preservative

1) Butylparaben

2) Ethylparaben

3) Methylparaben

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

Antimicrobial preservative

1) Benzalkonium chloride

Used in liquid and semisolid preparations to prevent growth of microorganisms

Antioxidant

1) Ascorbic acid

2) Ascorbyl palmitate

3) Butylated hydroxyanisole

Used to prevent deterioration of preparations by oxidation

Buffering agent

1) Potassium metaphosphate

2) Potassium phosphate, monobasic

3) Sodium acetate

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

Chelating agent

1) Edetic acid

2) Edetate disodium

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

Colorant

1) FD&C Red No.3

2) FD&C Red No. 20

3) FD&C Yellow No. 6

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

Clarifying agent

1) Bentonite

Used as a filtering aid for its adsorbent qualities

Emulsifying agent

1) Acacia

2) Cetomacrogol

3) Cetyl alcohol

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)

Encapsulating agent

1) Gelatin

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

Flavorant

1) Anise oil

2) Cinnamon oil

3) Cocoa

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

Humectant

1) Glycerin

2) Propylene glycol

3) Sorbitol

Used to prevent drying of preparations, particularly ointments and creams

Levigating agent

1) Mineral oil

2) Glycerin

3) Propylene glycol

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

Ointment base

1) Lanolin

2) Hydrophilic ointment

3) Polyethylene glycol ointment

Semisolid vehicle for medicated ointments

Plasticizer

1) Diethyl phthalate

2) Glycerin

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

Solvent

1) Alcohol

2) Corn oil

3) Cottonseed oil

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)

Stiffening agent

1) Cetyl alcohol

2) Cetyl esters wax

3) Microcrystalline wax

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

Suppository base

1) Cocoa butter

2) Polyethylene glycols (mixtures)

3) PEG 3350

Vehicle for suppositories

Surfactant (surface active agent)

1) Benzalkonium chloride

2) Nonoxynol 10

3) Octoxynol 9

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

Suspending agent

1) Agar

2) Bentonite

3) Carbomer (e.g., Carbopol)

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

Sweetening agent

1) Aspartame

2) Dextrose

3) Glycerin

Used to impart sweetness to a preparation

Tablet antiadherents

1) Magnesium stearate

Prevent tablet ingredients from sticking to punches and dies during production

Tablet binders

1) Acacia

2) Alginic acid

3) Carboxymethylcellulose sodium

Substances used to cause adhesion of powder particles in tablet granulations

Tablet and capsule diluent

1) Dibasic calcium phosphate

2) Kaolin

3) Lactose

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

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

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

Used in direct compression tablet formulations

Tablet disintegrant

1) Alginic acid

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

3) Sodium alginate

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

Tablet glidant

1) Colloidal silica

2) Cornstarch

3) Talc

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

Tablet lubricant

1) Calcium stearate

2) Magnesium stearate

3) Mineral oil

Used in tablet formulations to reduce friction during tablet compression

Tablet or capsule opaquant

1) Titanium dioxide

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

Tablet polishing agent

1) Carnauba wax

2) White wax

Used to impart an attractive sheen to coated tablets

Tonicity agent

1) Sodium chloride

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

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

1) Alginic acid

2) Bentonite

3) Carbomer

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.