An active ingredient is that constituent of a pharmaceutical drug that is organically active. The active ingredient was traditionally known as pharmacon meaning magical substance within drugs. Active pharmaceutical ingredients (API) and bulk active are both synonymously used for representing active ingredients. The content of API is dependent on the manufacturers and usually differs from one brand to another. There are certain products that may contain more than one active ingredient. A drug consists of API which is the main medication and the excipient which holds the API together and carries it to the system for providing medication. The material in which API is suspended are chemically inert by nature and does not directly participate in the API. Patients are somewhat more aware of the API and have lesser or no knowledge about the excipient component. Therefore, drugs are commonly selected based on the active ingredients rather than the excipient.
read more..