Pharmaceutical excipients are substances that are added to medicines to fulfil various functions, such as improving stability, improving appearance, improving bioavailability, improving solubility and improving taste. Excipients do not have pharmacological activity, but are used as vehicles to deliver the active ingredient of the medicine.
Choosing pharmaceutical excipients
When choosing the right excipients, there are several factors to consider, as they directly affect the properties of the medicine.
Efficacy: Pharmaceutical excipients can affect bioavailability: the extent to which a medicine or active ingredient is absorbed into the bloodstream and becomes available to act in the body at the site of action.
Safety: Some excipients may cause side effects that can be harmful to the patient’s health.
Stability: Excipients can affect the stability of the medicine, so excipients should be selected so as not to interact with the other components of the medicine, affecting its potency and quality during its shelf life.
Manufacturing process: Excipients can affect the manufacturing process of medicines, including compatibility with the manufacturing processes and equipment used. Choosing the right excipients can help improve the efficiency of the manufacturing process.
Administration: Excipients may affect the form and ease of administration of the medicine, so it is important to choose excipients that are compatible with the intended form of administration (e.g. tablets, capsules, oral solutions, etc.).
Function: Choosing pharmaceutical excipients depends mostly on the function they will perform in the medicine. There are several types of excipients, each of which has a role in the functioning of the medicine.
Types of pharmaceutical excipients
Binders
Binders are pharmaceutical excipients used in the manufacture of medicines to help hold together the particles of active ingredients and excipients that make up the product and improve their quality and stability. These substances are added to the mixture of active ingredients to help form tablets, pills or capsules.
Quimidroga distributes some pharmaceutical binders such as corn starch, gelatin (both bovine and porcine), synthetic polymers such as polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP), lactose or dextrins.
Disintegrants
Disintegrants are pharmaceutical excipients used in the manufacture of medicines to help separate and disperse particles of active ingredients in the body. These substances are added to tablet and capsule formulations to improve the speed and efficiency of dissolution in the gastrointestinal tract to release the active ingredient.
Some of the disintegrants we offer at Quimidroga are pre-gelatinised starch, croscarmellose sodium, citric acid, tartaric acid and sodium bicarbonate.
Lubricants
Lubricants are pharmaceutical excipients used to improve the production process and prevent adherence of active ingredients to the surfaces of machinery and equipment used in the manufacture of tablets and capsules. Furthermore, lubricants can also improve the appearance of tablets and capsules and reduce friction during administration.
Some of our lubricants used in the pharmaceutical industry are magnesium stearate, stearic acid, sodium benzoate, polyethylene glycol, colloidal silica or talc.
Solvents
Solvents are substances used in the manufacture of medicines to dissolve active ingredients and excipients to create solutions, suspensions or emulsions.
Among the most commonly used solvents in the pharmaceutical industry, Quimidroga has glycerine, liquid sorbitol or pharmaceutical oils.
Preservatives
Preservatives are pharmaceutical excipients used to prevent the growth of microorganisms, such as bacteria and fungi, in medicine formulations. This helps to maintain the stability and efficacy of medicines during their shelf life and to prevent microbial contamination that can cause infection and illness in patients.
Sodium benzoate and parabens are some examples of preservatives distributed by Quimidroga.
Colouring agents and flavourings
These are two types of pharmaceutical excipients that are added to medicines to improve their appearance and taste.
Flavourings help improve the taste and palatability of medicines. Many medicines have an unpleasant or bitter taste, which can make them difficult to administer and reduce patient adherence to treatment. Flavourings can help mask these unpleasant tastes and make medicines easier and more pleasant to take.
Some examples of flavourings are natural and artificial flavourings, sweeteners or citric acid.
Colouring agents are used in medicines for several reasons: the colouring agent allows patients to identify the medicine and distinguish it from other medicines; they are often used to print the name or brand name of the medicine on tablets or capsules, making it easier for patients to recognise and identify it; and their use can make medicines more visually appealing and easier to swallow for some patients, especially those who have difficulty swallowing large or unattractive tablets.
For further information on pharmaceutical excipients, please contact us!