Carnauba Wax
Excipient (pharmacologically inactive substance)
What is Carnauba Wax?
Carnauba wax is used in the pharmaceutical industry for tablet coatings and binding. Carnauba wax comes from the leaves of the Copernicia prunifera palm grown only in Brazil. Carnauba wax is also known as palm wax or Brazil wax.
Carnauba wax primarily consists of fatty acid esters. Coating tablets with the wax enables easier swallowing of the tablet. Carnauba wax has many other uses, including uses from car wax to dental floss. Carnauba wax is a safe, non-toxic and inert ingredient.[1][2]
[1] Dave RH. Overview of pharmaceutical excipients used in tablets and capsules. Drug Topics (online). Advanstar. 10/24/2008 http://drugtopics.modernmedicine.com/drugtopics/Top+News/Overview-of-pharmaceutical-excipients-used-in-tabl/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/561047. Accessed 03/24/2012
[2] Wolfmeier, U., Schmidt, H., Heinrichs, F.L., et al. 2000. Waxes. Ullmann's Encyclopedia of Industrial Chemistry.
Top Medications Containing Carnauba Wax
- Acetaminophen and Tramadol Hydrochloride 325 mg / 37.5 mg (Teva Pharmaceuticals USA)
- Acetaminophen and Tramadol Hydrochloride 325 mg / 37.5 mg (Amneal Pharmaceuticals)
- Bupropion Hydrochloride Extended Release (SR) 150 mg (Sandoz Pharmaceuticals Inc.)
- Bupropion Hydrochloride Extended Release (SR) 100 mg (Sandoz Pharmaceuticals Inc)
- Concerta 36 mg (ALZA Corporation)
- Concerta 54 mg (ALZA Corporation)
- Concerta 18 mg (ALZA Corporation)
- Concerta 27 mg (ALZA Corporation)
- Cyclobenzaprine Hydrochloride 10 mg (Teva Pharmaceuticals)
- Ibuprofen 800 mg (Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories Inc.)
- Ibuprofen 600 mg (Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories Inc.)
- Naproxen Sodium 220 mg (Goldline Laboratories, Inc.)
- Propafenone Hydrochloride 150 mg (Qualitest Pharmaceuticals Inc.)
- Singulair 10 mg (Merck & Company Inc.)
- Topamax 25 mg (Ortho-McNeil Neurologics, Inc.)
- Ultracet 325 mg / 37.5 mg (Janssen Pharmaceuticals)
- Ultram 50 mg (Ortho-McNeil-Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc.)
- Vimovo esomeprazole 20 mg / naproxen 500 mg (AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals)
- Wellbutrin SR 150 mg (GlaxoSmithKline)
- Zolpidem Tartrate 10 mg (Sandoz Pharmaceuticals Inc.)
