Recepturen

Recepturen are formulations or recipes used to prepare medicines or other chemical preparations. In Dutch, the term is commonly used in pharmacy to denote the exact instructions for compounding a medicinal product. A receptuur typically lists the active ingredient(s) and their amounts, supporting substances (excipients), the process steps, required equipment, and conditions for preparation. It may also cover quality criteria, storage, packaging, labeling, and shelf life. Recepturen can be official, appearing in pharmacopoeias or formulary books, or they may be patient-specific, drawn up for extemporaneous compounding by a pharmacist.

Historically, recepturen were central to apothecaries and early drug manufacturing. Pharmacists followed standardized formulas to ensure consistency and safety before mass production. With industrial manufacturing, many medicines are produced according to fixed specifications; however, compounding remains essential in clinics and community pharmacies for special dosages, allergies, pediatric needs, or unavailable forms. Modern regulation often requires proper licensing, documentation, and quality control for any compounded preparation, and many jurisdictions prescribe guidelines on what may be compounded and how.

A typical receptuur might include: the product name, form, active ingredient(s) and amounts, excipients, percentages or weights, step-by-step method (mixing, heating, cooling, filtration), required equipment and conditions (temperature, humidity), storage instructions, expiry date, and handling or safety notes.

See also: pharmacopoeia, compounding, apothecary.