Surface-active agents

Examples of surface-active agents (surfactant) have been restricted primarily to fatty acids and their
salts. It has been shown that both a hydrophobic portion (alkyl chain) and a hydrophilic portion
(carboxyl and carboxylate groups) are required for their surface activity, the relative degree of polarity
determining the tendency to accumulate at interfaces. It now becomes important to look at some of the
specific types of surfactants available and to see what structural features are required for different
pharmaceutical applications.

The classification of surfactants is quite arbitrary, but one based on chemical structure appears
best as means of introducing the topic. It is generally convenient to categorize surfactants according to
their polar portions because the nonpolar portion usually is made up of alkyl or aryl groups. The major
polar groups found in most surfactants may be divided as follows: anionic, cationic, amphoteric and
nonionic. As shall be seen, the last group is the largest and most widely used for pharmaceutical
systems, so that it will be emphasized in the discussion that follows.

Types

Anionic agents the most commonly used anionic surfactant are those containing carboxylate, sulfonate,
and sulfate ions. Those containing carboxylate ions are known as soaps and generally are prepared by
the saponification of natural fatty acid glycerides in alkaline solution. The most common cations
associated with soaps are sodium, potassium, ammonium and triethanolamine; the chain length of the
fatty acids ranges from 12 to 18.

Cationic agents a number of long-chain cations, such as amine salts and quaternary ammonium salts,
often are used as surface-active agents when dissolved in water; however, their use in pharmaceutical
preparations is limited to that of an antimicrobial preservation rather than as surfactants. This arises
because the cations adsorb so readily at cell membrane structures in a nonspecific manner, leading to
cell lysis (e.g., hemolysis), as so anionics to a lesser extent. It is in this way they act to destroy bacteria
and fungi.