2.

PHARMACEUTICAL AIDS
 Pharmaceutical aids –
The substances which are of little or no therapeutic value but are
essentially used in various pharmaceuticals preparation known as
Pharmaceutical aids.

Sources of pharmaceutical aids-

1) Plant source – e.g aloe, turmeric, rose, starch
2) Animal- e.g. Bees wax, gelatin, honey, lactose, wool fat
3) Mineral- e.g. Chalk, Talc, Kaolin, bentonite
4) Synthetic- e.g. acetic acid, boric acid, citric acid, dextrose.

The substances used as a natural origin used as a pharmaceutical

aids, are considered as a drug.
 CLASSIFICATION OF PHARMACEUTICAL DRUGS
Sr.no. Class example

1 Acidulent Tamarind, lemon juice

2 Colours Turmeric, saffron, indigo, caramel, chlorophyll,β

-carotene

3 Disintigrating Starch, CMC, psyllium husk, microcrystalline

agent cellulose.

4 Diluents Cinnamon water, peppermint water, corn oil,

peanut oil, wild cherry syrup, sesame oil, glucose
,lactose
5 Emulsifying & Acacia, agar, gelatin, alginic acid, bentonite,
suspending methylcellulose, tragacanth ,guar gum
agent

6 filter aid Chalk, Talc, bentonite, kieselghur.

Sr.no. Class example

7 flavours Cardamom, rose, nutmeg, cinnamon,

benzaldehyde, anethol, lemon oil, orange peel ,
nutmeg

8 Hardening agents Bees wax, hard paraffin

9 lubricants Talc, cocoa butter, magnesium stearate.

10 solvents Alcohol, glycerine, propylene glycol, paraffin,

triethanolamine.

11 Sweetening agent Honey, saccharin, glycyrrhiza, sorbitol.

12 Ointment bases Bees wax ,lanolin ,polyethylene glycol,

paraffin, petroleum jelly, spermaceti, wool fat

13 Thicknening Pectin, tragacanth, methyl cellulose.

agents

14 vehicles Arachis oil, honey ,sesame oil