An inactive pharmaceutical ingredient, which is called an excipient, too, is a component in medicine that does not carry any curative effect. Still, it is seen that the major portion of many medicines contains excipients; the actual active pharmaceutical ingredient constitutes only a small part.
Many people erroneously opine that an excipient is a completely passive ingredient having no use. Here, the necessity of adding these ingredients to the drugs is questioned. But, the fact is that an inactive pharmaceutical ingredient is not a passive ingredient; it comes with some key advantages. And, this article is going to succinctly focus on the most important of these positive aspects.
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- Some inactive pharmaceutical ingredients work as buffers and binding agents for medications.
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- Likewise, there are a few inactive ingredients that play the key role of preservatives. It is chiefly due to these elements that the efficacy of the drug/ medicine remains intact until the specified expiry date.
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- Some inactive components are included in the drug/ medication as flavorings, which make sure that the taste is improved to a reasonable extent.
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- We also have a class of inactive pharmaceutical elements that can be considered as being paramount. These are the ingredients that ensure that the medicine fulfills the purpose for which it has been manufactured. We can take an example of a tablet that is not soluble. Here, the inactive ingredient/s present in it help the body take in the drug devoid of any hassles.
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- When medicines sold in the form of ointments, creams, and lotions are taken into account, a special mention has to be made of inactive components. For, it is primarily because of these ingredients that the creams and lotions get the desired texture.
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- There is one more big advantage of excipients that needs to be specifically highlighted. The presence of certain excipients in a medication makes certain that it gets the desired color, size, and shape. And, these things help people quickly identify the medicine. With respect to medications, the importance of proper identification can never be overstated.
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- It is worth noting that there are also several types of excipients and each one of those supports several properties. For instance, a specific excipient can preserve the therapeutic effect of the medicine for a long duration as well as give the needed colour to it.
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- People who are apprehensive about any of the inactive pharmaceutical ingredients can just discard their worries. This is because even aspects related to the usage and inclusion of excipients in medicines are regulated by various governmental agencies. So, with regard to inactive elements in any tablet/medicine, you can rest assured. They have cleared all the relevant tests carried out by regulatory bodies, too.
Inactive pharmaceutical ingredients – A key point
In a substantial chunk of cases, the inactive ingredients in medications do not pose any health risk. But in some rare cases, people report a few side effects that can directly be attributed to any of the excipients in the concerned medicine.
If it is suspected that side reaction/s are being experienced because of any excipient, immediate medical guidance has to be taken. However, we have to emphasize the fact that such occurrences are uncommon; one does not have to overly worry about this matter.
Disclaimer:
The information provided in this sheet is gathered from reliable and well published sources to the best of our knowledge, information, and belief on the date of its collation, release and is not to be considered a warranty or quality specification. Information is supplied upon the presumption that the receivers will make their own determination as to its suitability for their purposes prior to use. In no event will Vinner Labs, or its group companies or any company bearing Vinner logo, be responsible for damage of any nature what so ever resulting from use of or upon reliance of the information.