Pharmacy Courses

PHARMA EXCIPIENTS (Q-Z)

A List of Common Excipients Used in Pharmaceutical Products 
(Tablets, Capsules, Suspensions, Syrup and Cream)

List of Pharmaceutical Excipients and Their Uses

  • Raffinose: Stabilizing agent; sucrose crystallization modifier.
  • Saccharin: Sweetening agent.
  • Saccharin Sodium: Sweetening agent.
  • Safflower Oil: Emollient; oleaginous vehicle; solvent.
  • Saponite: Adsorbent; emulsifying agent; viscosity-increasing agent.
  • Sesame Oil: Oleaginous vehicle; solvent.
  • Shellac: Coating agent; encapsulating agent; film-forming agent; matrix forming agent; modified-release agent.
  • Simethicone: Antifoaming agent; tablet diluent; water-repelling agent.
  • Sodium Acetate: Antimicrobial preservative; buffering agent; flavoring agent, stabilizing agent.
  • Sodium Alginate: Stabilizing agent; suspending agent; tablet and capsule disintegrant; tablet binder; viscosity increasing agent.
  • Sodium Ascorbate: Stabilizing agent; suspending agent; tablet and capsule disintegrant; tablet binder; viscosity increasing agent.
  • Sodium Benzoate: Antimicrobial preservative; tablet and capsule lubricant.
  • Sodium Bicarbonate: Alkalizing agent; therapeutic agent.
  • Sodium Borate: Alkalizing agent; antimicrobial preservative; buffering agent; disinfectant; emulsifying agent; stabilizing agent.
  • Sodium Carbonate: Alkalizing agent; buffering agent.
  • Sodium Chloride: Tablet and capsule diluent; tonicity agent.
  • Sodium Citrate Dihydrate: Alkalizing agent; buffering agent; emulsifying agent; sequestering agent.
  • Sodium Cyclamate: Sweetening agent.
  • Sodium Formaldehyde Sulfoxylate: Antioxidant.
  • Sodium Hyaluronate: Humectant; lubricant; sustained-release agent.
  • Sodium Hydroxide: Alkalizing agent; buffering agent.
  • Sodium Lactate: Antimicrobial preservative; buffering agent; emulsifying agent; flavoring agent; humectant.
  • Sodium Lauryl Sulfate: Anionic surfactant; detergent; emulsifying agent; skin penetrant; tablet and capsule lubricant; wetting agent.
  • Sodium Metabisulfite: Antimicrobial preservative; antioxidant.
  • Sodium Phosphate, Dibasic: Buffering agent; sequestering agent.
  • Sodium Phosphate, Monobasic: Buffering agent; emulsifying agent; sequestering agent.
  • Sodium Propionate: Antimicrobial preservative.
  • Sodium Starch Glycolate: Tablet and capsule disintegrant.
  • Sodium Stearyl Fumarate: Tablet and capsule lubricant.
  • Sodium Sulfite: Antimicrobial preservative; antioxidant.
  • Sodium Thiosulfate: Antioxidant.
  • Sorbic Acid: Antimicrobial preservative.
  • Sorbitan Esters (Sorbitan Fatty Acid Esters): Dispersing agent; emulsifying agent; nonionic surfactant; solubilizing agent; suspending agent; wetting agent.
  • Sorbitol: Humectant; plasticizer; stabilizing agent; sweetening agent; tablet and capsule diluent.
  • Soybean Oil: Oleaginous vehicle; solvent.
  • Starch: Tablet and capsule diluent; tablet and capsule disintegrant; tablet binder; thickening agent.
  • Starch, Pregelatinized: Tablet and capsule diluent; tablet and capsule disintegrant; tablet binder.
  • Starch, Sterilizable Maize: Diluent; lubricant.
  • Stearic Acid: Emulsifying agent; solubilizing agent; tablet and capsule lubricant.
  • Stearyl Alcohol: Stiffening agent.
  • Sucralose: Sweetening agent.
  • Sucrose: Confectionery base; coating agent; granulation aid; suspending agent; sweetening agent; tablet binder; tablet and capsule diluent; tablet filler; therapeutic agent; viscosity-increasing agent.
  • Sucrose Octaacetate: Alcohol denaturant; bittering agent.
  • Sugar, Compressible: Sweetening agent; tablet and capsule diluent; tablet filler.
  • Sugar, Confectioner’s: Coating agent; sweetening agent; tablet and capsule diluent.
  • Sugar Spheres: Tablet and capsule diluent.
  • Sulfobutylether b-Cyclodextrin: Biocompatibility enhancer; complexing agent; dissolution enhancer; osmotic agent; solubilizing agent; stabilizing agent; tablet and capsule diluent; viscosity-increasing agent; water activity reducing agent.
  • Sulfur Dioxide: Antimicrobial preservative; antioxidant.
  • Sulfuric Acid: Acidifying agent.
  • Sunflower Oil: Diluent; emollient; emulsifying agent; solvent; tablet binder
  • Suppository Bases, Hard Fat: Suppository base
  • Tagatose: Sweetening agent.
  • Talc: Anticaking agent; glidant; tablet and capsule diluent; tablet and capsule lubricant.
  • Tartaric Acid: Acidifying agent; flavoring agent; sequestering agent.
  • Tetrafluoroethane (HFC): Aerosol propellant.
  • Thaumatin: Flavor enhancer; sweetening agent.
  • Thimerosal: Antimicrobial preservative; antiseptic.
  • Thymol: Antioxidant; antiseptic; cooling agent; disinfectant; flavoring agent; skin penetrant; therapeutic agent.
  • Titanium Dioxide: Coating agent; opacifier; pigment.
  • Tragacanth: Suspending agent; viscosity-increasing agent.
  • Trehalose: Color adjuvant; flavor enhancer; freeze-drying agent; humectant; stabilizing agent; sweetening agent; tablet diluent; thickening agent.
  • Triacetin: Humectant; plasticizer; solvent.
  • Tributyl Citrate: Plasticizer.
  • Tricaprylin: Emollient; lubricant; penetration enhancer; solubilizing agent; solvent
  • Triethanolamine: Alkalizing agent; emulsifying agent.
  • Triethyl Citrate: Plasticizer; solvent.
  • Triolein: Emollient; penetration enhancer; solubilizing agent; solvent.
  • Vanillin: Flavoring agent.
  • Vegetable Oil, Hydrogenated: Tablet and capsule lubricant; tablet binder.
  • Vitamin E Polyethylene Glycol Succinate: Absorption enhancer; antioxidant; emulsifying agent; granulation aid; ointment base; solubilizing agent; surfactant; suspending agent; tablet binder.
  • Water: Solvent.
  • Wax, Anionic Emulsifying: Emulsifying agent; solubilizing agent; stiffening agent.
  • Wax, Carnauba: Coating agent.
  • Wax, Cetyl Esters: Emollient; stiffening agent.
  • Wax, Microcrystalline: Coating agent; controlled-release agent; stiffening agent.
  • Wax, Nonionic Emulsifying: Emulsifying agent; solubilizing agent; stiffening agent.
  • Wax, White: Controlled-release agent; stabilizing agent; stiffening agent.
  • Wax, Yellow: Controlled-release agent; polishing agent; stabilizing agent; stiffening agent.
  • Xanthan Gum: Gelling agent; stabilizing agent; suspending agent; sustained-release agent; viscosity-increasing agent.
  • Xylitol: Coating agent; diluent; emollient; humectant; sweetening agent; tablet and capsule diluent; tablet filler.
  • Zein: Coating agent; extended-release agent; tablet binder.
  • Zinc Acetate: Emollient; emulsion stabilizer; gelling agent; opacifier; stabilizing agent.
  • Zinc Stearate: Tablet and capsule lubricant.


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