Stearic Acid

Products Stearic acid is available as a pure substance in pharmacies and drugstores. The name “stear” comes from the Greek and means tallow or lard, so it shows the origin of the substance. Structure and properties Stearic acid or octadecanoic acid (C18H36O2, Mr = 284.5 g/mol) is a saturated and unbranched C18 fatty acid, i.e., … Stearic Acid

Tablets

Definition and properties Tablets are solid dosage forms containing one or more active pharmaceutical ingredients (exception: placebos). They are intended to be taken by mouth. Tablets may be swallowed unchewed or chewed, dissolved in water or allowed to disintegrate before use, or retained in the oral cavity, depending on the galenic form. The Latin term … Tablets

Vaginal Tablets

Products Some vaginal tablets are commercially available. Also used are vaginal suppositories and vaginal capsules. Structure and properties Vaginal tablets are solid, single-dose preparations intended for vaginal use. In general, they meet the definition of non-coated tablets or film-coated tablets. Detailed information can be found under the relevant articles. Vaginal tablets contain the same excipients, … Vaginal Tablets

Emulsifiers

Products Emulsifiers are available as pure substances, for example, in pharmacies and drugstores. They are found in numerous pharmaceuticals, cosmetics (personal care products), medical devices and foods. Structure and properties Emulsifiers are amphiphilic, meaning they have both a hydrophilic and lipophilic structural character. This allows them to mediate between the water and fat phases. Emulsifiers … Emulsifiers

Auxiliary Materials

Definition On the one hand, drugs contain the active ingredients that mediate the pharmacological effects. On the other hand, they consist of excipients, which are used for the production or to support and regulate the drug effect. Placebos, which consist only of excipients and contain no active ingredients, are an exception. Excipients can be of … Auxiliary Materials

Calcium Stearate

Products Calcium stearate is found as an excipient in drugs, especially in tablets. However, the closely related magnesium stearate is much more commonly used in practice. Structure and properties Calcium stearate is a mixture of calcium salts of various fatty acids, mainly stearic acid and palmitic acid with a small proportion of other fatty acids. … Calcium Stearate

Magnesium Stearate

Products Magnesium stearate is available as a pure substance in pharmacies. It is found as an excipient in many medicines and especially in tablets. Calcium stearate is also used more rarely. Structure and properties Magnesium stearate is a hydrophobic compound of magnesium and a mixture of solid organic acids, mainly consisting of varying proportions of … Magnesium Stearate

Fatty Acids

Definition and structure Fatty acids are lipids consisting of a carboxy group and a hydrocarbon chain that is usually unbranched and may contain double bonds. The figure shows palmitic acid with 16 carbon atoms (C16): they typically exist in nature free or in the form of glycerides. Glycerides consist of a molecule of glycerol esterified … Fatty Acids

Capsules

Definition Capsules are solid and single-dose dosage forms of medicine of various shapes and sizes, usually intended for ingestion. This article refers to hard capsules. Soft capsules are covered in a separate article. Hard capsules, unlike them, do not contain plasticizers. Capsules consist of a capsule shell and the filling material, which contains the active … Capsules