Formulations

Formulations refer to the deliberate combination of substances to create a product with a defined function. In practice, a formulation specifies the ingredients, their quantities, and the method by which a product is prepared and used. The goal is to achieve stability, efficacy, safety, and usability for a given application.

In pharmaceutical science, formulations combine an active pharmaceutical ingredient with excipients (binders, fillers, disintegrants, lubricants, preservatives, surfactants) and a suitable solvent or carrier to produce dosage forms such as tablets, capsules, solutions, suspensions, ointments, or injectables. In cosmetics, formulations address texture, appearance, fragrance, and compatibility with skin or hair. In food science, formulations optimize taste, texture, nutrition, and shelf-life. In industrial chemistry, formulations define products such as cleaners, coatings, and polymers.

Process and regulatory aspects: Formulation development uses systematic design of experiments to select ingredients and processing conditions, followed by stability testing, quality control, and regulatory compliance under Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) and relevant pharmacopeias.

Other uses: In mathematics and operations research, a formulation is a formal representation of a problem as a set of variables, objectives, and constraints to be solved, for example a linear or nonlinear programming formulation.

Key concepts: active ingredient, excipients, solubility, bioavailability, stability, compatibility, manufacturability, and labeling. The term is domain-specific and the details vary by industry and regulatory context.