English
Emulsifiers
Dispersants
Lubricants
Disintegrants
1. Emulsifiers
In drug formulations, many drugs are insoluble and can be made into emulsion forms to improve bioavailability. Emulsifiers play a role in stabilizing emulsions and enabling the uniform dispersion of drugs, making them easier for the body to absorb. Non-ionic emulsifiers such as polyoxyethylene sorbitan esters (Tween series) are widely used in the pharmaceutical field. In some drugs for treating cardiovascular diseases, when made into emulsions with the help of emulsifiers, they can be better absorbed by the body, improving the treatment effect. In topical preparations such as ointments and creams, emulsifiers can evenly distribute drug components in the base, facilitating application and absorption, while enhancing the stability of the preparation and extending its shelf life. For example, in ointments for treating skin inflammation, emulsifiers can evenly disperse the effective components of the drug in the base, making it easier to cover the skin surface when applied, improving the drug's penetration and efficacy.
2. Dispersants
Dispersants are used to uniformly disperse drug particles in a liquid medium to prevent the aggregation and precipitation of drug particles. In liquid preparations such as suspensions and emulsions, dispersants play a crucial role. For instance, in pediatric cough syrups and other suspensions, dispersants enable the uniform dispersion of drug particles in the syrup, ensuring the accuracy of the drug dosage each time it is taken, and preventing the precipitation of drug particles that could affect the efficacy. Some high-molecular dispersants, such as polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP), can form spatial steric hindrance by adsorbing onto the surface of drug particles, preventing particle aggregation and enhancing the stability of the formulation.
3. Lubricants
During the process of drug tabletting, lubricants can reduce the friction between particles and between particles and the die, making the tabletting process smoother and improving the quality and production efficiency of the tablets. Magnesium stearate is a commonly used pharmaceutical lubricant. In tablet production, adding an appropriate amount of magnesium stearate can prevent tablet sticking and make the tablet surface smooth and with the appropriate hardness, facilitating packaging and storage. In capsule filling processes, lubricants can also help drug powders be smoothly filled into capsule shells, improving filling efficiency and accuracy.
4. Disintegrants
The function of disintegrants is to cause tablets to disintegrate rapidly in the gastrointestinal tract, releasing the drug. In oral solid preparations, disintegrants are one of the important excipients. Common disintegrants include carboxymethyl starch sodium and cross-linked polyvinylpyrrolidone. After tablet ingestion, disintegrants can absorb water and rapidly expand, destroying the tablet structure and disintegrating it into small particles, thereby accelerating the dissolution and absorption of the drug. For example, in common cold fever relief tablets, adding disintegrants can cause the tablets to disintegrate quickly after entering the gastrointestinal tract, releasing the drug rapidly and exerting its antipyretic and analgesic effects more quickly.
