Receptura

Receptura is a term used in Polish to denote a set of instructions for preparing a substance or product. It can refer to a recipe in cooking, a formulation in chemistry or pharmacology, or a production recipe in cosmetics. The root is Latin recepta/recipe, meaning “something to be taken” or “taken recipe.”

In pharmacy, receptura denotes the written formula used to compound a medicinal preparation. It lists the active substance(s) and excipients, their quantities, preparation steps, equipment, storage conditions, and labeling. Pharmacists follow approved receptury from pharmacopoeias or issued by authorities to ensure potency, safety, sterility, and quality. In many countries, compounding via receptura is distinct from dispensing off-the-shelf medicines.

In culinary use, receptura means a recipe—list of ingredients and method to produce a dish. In cosmetics and personal care, receptura refers to a formulation describing ingredients, their ratios, processing conditions, and quality criteria to produce a product such as cream or lotion.

Historically, receptury apteczne were official formularies used by apothecaries in Europe, outlining standard medicines and procedures; they supported standardization and training before mass-produced medicines prevailed. Today, the term remains common in Polish pharmaceutical terminology and in professional literature, though everyday language often uses “przepis” for recipes in food and “formulacja” for chemical formulations.

Receptura thus spans multiple domains, representing the planned composition, method of preparation, and expected properties of a substance or product.