ABSTRACT
The goal of this chapter is to review the history of the safe use of excipients and reported toxicities. This chapter does not deal with microbial contamination of foods or drugs. It deals specifically with excipients. The word is derived from the Latin word excipiens the present perfect of ex-cipio, meaning to "take out." According to Black's Medical Dictionary (1), excipient means any more-or-less inert substance added to a prescription to make the remedy as prescribed more suitable in bulk, consistency, or form for administration.
