Excipients
Excipients are inactive substances formulated with the active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) to create a finished dosage form. They do not have therapeutic effects themselves but support manufacturing, stability, delivery, and usability of a drug product. Excipients can influence solubility and dissolution, shelf life, taste and odor, appearance, and dosing accuracy, and may affect the bioavailability of the API.
Common categories include fillers or diluents (lactose, microcrystalline cellulose) to add bulk; binders (povidone, hydroxypropyl cellulose)
In parenteral, oral, topical, and inhalation products, excipients are chosen to support stability, compatibility with the