Excip

Used in liquid preparations to provide acidic medium for product stability

• Citric Acid
• Acetic Acid
• Fumaric acid

Used in liquid preparations to provide alkaline medium for product stabiity

• Ammonia solution
• Ammonium carbonate
• Diethanolamine

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

• Powdered cellulose
• Activated charcoal

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

• Carbon dioxide
• Dichlorodifluoromethane
• Dichlorotetrafluoroethane

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

• Nitrogen
• Carbon dioxide

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

• Butylparaben
• Ethylparaben
• Methylparaben

Used in liquid and semisolid preparations to prevent growth of microorganisms

• Benzalkonium chloride
• Benzethonium chloride
• Benzyl alcohol

Used to prevent deterioration of preparations by oxidation

• Ascorbic acid
• Ascorbyl palmitate
• Butylated hydroxyanisole

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

• Potassium metaphosphate
• Potassium phosphate, monobasic
• Sodium acetate

Substancee that forms stable water-soluble 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.

• Edetic acid
• Edetate disodium

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

• FD&C Red No.3
• FD&C Red No.20
• FD&C Yellow No.6

Used as a filtering aid for its adsorbent qualities.

Bentonite

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

• Acacia
• Cetomacrogol
• Cetyl alcohol

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

• Gelatin
• Cellulose acetate phthalate

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

• Anise oil
• Cinnamon oil
• Cocoa

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

• Glycerin
• Propylene glycol
• Sorbitol

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

• Mineral oil
• Glycerin
• Propylene glycol

Semisolid vehicle for medicated ointments.

• Lanolin
• Hydrophilic ointment
• Polyethylene glycol ointment

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

• Diethyl phthalate
• Glycerin

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

• Alcohol
• Corn oil
• Cottonseed oil

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

• Cetyl alcohol
• Cetyl esters wax
• Microcrystalline wax

Vehicle for suppositories.

• Cocoa butter
• Polyethylene glycols (mixtures)

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

• Benzalkonium chloride
• Nonoxynol 10
• Octoxynol 9

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, opthalmic, topical, or other route.

• Agar
• Bentonite
• Carbomer

Used to impart sweetness to a preparation.

• Aspartame
• Dextrose
• Glycerin

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

• Magnesium stearate
• Talc

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

• Acacia
• Alginic acid
• Carboxymethylcellulose sodium

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

• Dibasic calcium phosphate
• Kaolin
• Lactose

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 enteric. Sugar coating is water-based; forms a thick covering around a tablet. Sugar-coated tablets generallly 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 (ethylcellulose) are used to slow the release of drug in the gastrointestinal tract.

• Liquid glucose
• Sucrose

• Hydroxyethyl cellulose
• Hydroxypropyl cellulose
• Hydroxypropyl methylcellulose

• Cellulose acetate phthalate
• Shellac (35% in alcohol, pharmaceutical glaze)

Used in direct compression tablet formulations.

Dibasic calcium phosphate (Ditab)

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

• Alginic acid
• Carboxymethylcellulose calcium
• Microcrystalline cellulose

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

• Colloidal silica
• Cornstarch
• Talc

Used in tablet formulations to reduce friction during tablet compression.

• Calcium stearate
• Magnesium stearate
• Mineral oil

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

Titanium dioxide

Used to impart an attractive sheen to coated tablets.

• Carnauba wax
• White wax

Used to render solution similar to osmotic dextrose characteristics to physiologic fluids ex: in ophthalmic, parenteral, and irrigation fluids.

Sodium chloride

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

• Acacia syrup
• Aromatic syrup
• Aromatic elixir

• Corn oil
• Mineral oil
• Peanut oil

• Bacteriostatic sodium chloride injection
• Bacteriostatic water for injection

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

• Alginic acid
• Bentonite
• Carbomer