ABSTRACT
Drugs for pharmaceutical purposes and human use require the combination with other compounds, constituting the formulations and, ultimately, medicines. These formulations are susceptible of microbial contamination and growth, posing as a threat for consumer’s use. Production and processing of medicines are one of the main sources of microbial contamination in medicines. Therefore, formulations can include preservatives that will serve to control any potential antimicrobial growth. Here, we review the most common microbial contaminants in medicines and the preservatives most widely used to ensure safety and stability of medicines.
