ABSTRACT

Pharmaceutical excipients are used in oral dosage forms of drug products, such as tablets, capsules, powders, liquids, suspensions, elixirs, and syrups. Pharmaceutical excipients, by definition, do not possess pharmacological activity, but they can provide a variety of functional characteristics that facilitate the oral administration of a pharmacologically active compound in a drug product. Some examples of functional categories are diluents, lubricants, coatings, flavors, dissolution agents, suspending agents, stabilizers, plasticizers, and preservatives. The extensive functional properties of some pharmaceutical excipients have led to their use as food additives and, likewise, some food additives have been used as pharmaceutical excipients. Many food additives and generally recognized as safe (GRAS) substances have applications as pharmaceutical excipients. Examples of GRAS substances used as oral pharmaceutical excipients include glycerin, acacia, and sodium chloride.