ABSTRACT
Pharmaceutical applications of polysiloxane chemistry started in the early fifties, when polydimethylsiloxanes were first used as antifoams in the manufacture of drugs. One of the earliest applications of polysiloxanes, which is still of great interest, is their use in pharmaceuticals to combat intestinal gas. Besides the physicochemical properties which make dimethicone an ideal raw material for antifoams, their nontoxicity make dimethicones ideal for use in pharmaceuticals, especially for those which are designed for oral use. Pharmaceuticals combating flatulence are offered in different dosage forms. Dosage forms like simethicone tablets, simethicone oral suspensions, and simethicone emulsions are defined by the U S Pharmacopeia. Simethicone tablets seem to be the most common dosage form. Silicone antifoams have been used in pharmaceuticals to combat digestive upsets or to enhance the inspection of the gastrointestinal tract for more than 35 years. Simethicones have gained their position due to their chemical inertness and their neutral physiological behavior.
