Pharmaceutical Solutions Excipients PDF

### Table 24.5 Excipients used in pharmaceutical solutions | Excipients | Examples of excipients | |---|---| | Cosolvents | Ethanol, glycerol, propylene glycol. The concentration of ethanol should be limited as it exerts a pharmacological action following oral administration. | | Flavouring agents...

### Table 24.5 Excipients used in pharmaceutical solutions | Excipients | Examples of excipients | |---|---| | Cosolvents | Ethanol, glycerol, propylene glycol. The concentration of ethanol should be limited as it exerts a pharmacological action following oral administration. | | Flavouring agents | Used to mask the taste of drugs, many of which have a very unpleasant taste. Synthetic or naturally occurring flavourings such as vanilla, raspberry, orange oil, and lemon oil are used for oral solutions. Menthol is used in both oral and nasal solutions. Certain flavours appeal to certain patient populations and certain parts of the world; this must be borne in mind by the formulator. For example, fruit and bubble gum flavours are acceptable to children, whilst mint flavour is not. | | Colouring agents | A colouring agent should correlate with the flavouring agent, e.g. green with mint flavour, red with cherry flavour. As for flavours, colour preference differs between cultures. | | Sweeteners | Sucrose, sorbitol, mannitol, saccharin sodium, xylitol and high-fructose corn syrup are used to improve the palatability of oral solutions. Sweetened, but sugar-free, preparations containing aspartame are suitable for diabetic patients and are not cariogenic. | | Antimicrobial preservatives | -Used to preserve multidose preparations. Examples include benzalkonium chloride, benzyl alcohol, chlorobutanol, thimerosal and combinations of parabens (methyl, propyl, butyl). | | Antioxidants | Sodium metabisulfite, sodium sulfite, sodium bisulfatet ascorbic acid, used to stabilize solutions. | | Chelating agents | Disodium edetate, used to increase solution stability. | | pH adjusters | Acids, e.g. citric acid, buffers. Alkalis, e.g. sodium hydroxide, buffers. | | Isotonicity adjusters | Sodium chloride, potassium chloride, mannitol, dextrose, glycerol | | Viscosity enhancers | Hypromellose, Kydroxyethylcellulose)poly(vinyl alcohol), povidone, dextran, carbomer 940. |