Compressible Sugar
Medically reviewed by Drugs.com. Last updated on Nov 27, 2023.
Excipient (pharmacologically inactive substance)
What is it?
Compressible sugar is compressible sucrose that can be used in tablet-making in the pharmaceutical industry. It is a white, granular, free-flowing powder with a sweet taste. Compressible sucrose is very soluble in water, non-hygroscopic, non-reactive with other tablet ingredients. Slightly soluble in alcohol.[1] Sucrose (C12H22O11) is sugar, often referred to as table sugar or saccharose. Commercial sugar is usually produced from either beet or cane sugar. Sucrose has been used since antiquity for its sweetness. It is often used in medications to impart a more pleasant taste to often unpalatable chemicals. Sucrose can be found in many medical dosage forms such as chewable tablets, syrups, lozenges, or gums. Sugar-free formulations of many of these dosage forms exist as well. While sugar is essentially non-toxic, it can be associated with dental caries, exacerbation of diabetes, and weight gain.[2]
References
- [1]Pformulate. Excipients. Compressible sugar. Accessed March 28, 2014 at http://www.pformulate.com/sucrose.htm
- [2]Sugar.org. All about sugar. Accessed April 15, 2012. http://www.sugar.org/sugar-basics/all-about-sugar.html
Further information
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