Pharmaceutics I (PSW 311) - Pharmaceutical Excipients

These flashcards cover key pharmaceutical excipients and their definitions as outlined in the Pharmaceutics I lecture.

Acidifying agent

Used in liquid preparations to provide acidic medium for product stability.

Alkalinizing agent

Used in liquid preparations to provide alkaline medium for product stability.

Adsorbent

An agent capable of holding other molecules onto its surface.

Aerosol propellant

Agent responsible for developing the pressure within an aerosol container.

Air displacement

Agent employed to displace air in a hermetically sealed container.

Antifungal preservative

Used in liquid and semisolid preparations to prevent growth of fungi.

Antimicrobial preservative

Used in liquid and semisolid preparations to prevent growth of microorganisms.

Antioxidant

Used to prevent deterioration of preparations by oxidation.

Buffering agent

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

Chelating agent

Substance that forms stable water-soluble complexes with metals.

Colorant

Used to impart color to liquid and solid preparations.

Clarifying agent

Used as a filtering aid for its adsorbent qualities.

Emulsifying agent

Used to promote and maintain dispersion of finely subdivided particles of liquid.

Encapsulating agent

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

Flavorant

Used to impart a pleasant flavor and often odor to a preparation.

Humectant

Used to prevent drying of preparations, particularly ointments and creams.

Levigating agent

Liquid used as an intervening agent to reduce the particle size of a powder.

Ointment base

Semisolid vehicle for medicated ointments.

Plasticizer

Component of film-coating solutions to make film more pliable.

Solvent

Used to dissolve another substance in preparation of a solution.

Stiffening agent

Used to increase thickness or hardness of a preparation.

Suppository base

Vehicle for suppositories.

Surfactant

Substances that absorb to surfaces or interfaces to reduce surface tension.

Suspending agent

Viscosity-increasing agent used to reduce sedimentation rate of particles.

Sweetening agent

Used to impart sweetness to a preparation.

Tablet antiadherents

Prevent tablet ingredients from sticking to punches and dies during production.

Tablet binders

Substances used to cause adhesion of powder particles in tablet granulations.

Tablet coating agent

Used to coat a tablet to protect against decomposition or to provide a desired release pattern.

Tablet direct compression excipient

Used in direct compression tablet formulations.

Tablet disintegrant

Used in solid forms to promote disruption of the mass into smaller particles.

Tablet glidant

Used in tablet and capsule formulations to improve flow properties.

Tablet lubricant

Used in tablet formulations to reduce friction during tablet compression.

Tablet or capsule opaquant

Used to render a coating opaque.

Tablet polishing agent

Used to impart an attractive sheen to coated tablets.

Tonicity agent

Used to render solution similar in osmotic characteristics to physiologic fluids.

Vehicle

Carrying agent used in formulating various liquids for oral and parenteral administration.

Viscosity-increasing agent

Used to render preparations more resistant to flow.