Crospovidone
Excipient (pharmacologically inactive substance)
What is Crospovidone?
Crospovidone (cross linked polyvinyl N-pyrrolidone, or PVP) is a common, FDA-approved inactive ingredient used in the pharmaceutical industry. Crospovidone is often combined with active ingredients in medications and dietary supplements to allow absorption of the active drug. It is considered a synthetic povidone analog.
Chemically, crospovidone is an inert and insoluble white to light yellow free-flowing powder. It has hygroscopic, or water-attracting properties with excellent swelling characteristics. It is this swelling characteristic that makes it useful as a disintegrant in pharmaceutical dosage forms.[1] Crospovidone is not absorbed orally.
Oral use of crospovidone is not usually associated with toxicity in normal use as a pharmaceutical excipient. Pulmonary emboli have been reported in autopsies of intravenous drug abusers who have crushed tablets, such as hydromorphone, for injection. The long-term effects of crospovidone in the lung are unknown.[2] Allergic reactions have also been reported with the use of povidone-iodine (Betadine®) as a topical antiseptic.
[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 08/19/2011
[2] Ganesan S., Felo J., Saldana M. Embolized Crospovidone (poly[N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone]) in the Lungs of Intravenous Drug Users. Mod Pathol 2003;16(4):286–92
Top Medications Containing Crospovidone
- Acetaminophen and Codeine Phosphate 300 mg / 30mg (Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals)
- Acetaminophen and Hydrocodone Bitartrate 500 mg / 5 mg (Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals)
- Acetaminophen and Hydrocodone Bitartrate 500 mg / 10 mg (Vintage Pharmaceuticals Inc.)
- Acetaminophen and Hydrocodone Bitartrate 750 mg / 7.5 mg (Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals)
- Acetaminophen and Hydrocodone Bitartrate 500 mg / 7.5 mg (Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals)
- Acetaminophen and Hydrocodone Bitartrate 325 mg / 10 mg (Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals)
- Acetaminophen and Hydrocodone Bitartrate 500 mg / 10 mg (Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals)
- Acetaminophen and Hydrocodone Bitartrate 325 mg / 7.5 mg (Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals)
- Acetaminophen and Oxycodone Hydrochloride 325 mg / 5 mg (Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals)
- Acetaminophen and Oxycodone Hydrochloride 325 mg / 5 mg (Qualitest Pharmaceuticals Inc.)
- Acetaminophen and Oxycodone Hydrochloride 325 mg / 10 mg (Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals)
- Acetaminophen and Oxycodone Hydrochloride 325 mg / 10 mg (Amneal Pharmaceuticals)
- Acetaminophen and Propoxyphene Napsylate 650 mg / 100 mg (Teva Pharmaceuticals USA)
- Buprenorphine Hydrochloride (Sublingual) 8 mg (Roxane Laboratories, Inc.)
- Cyclobenzaprine Hydrochloride 10 mg (Teva Pharmaceuticals)
- Endocet 325 mg / 10 mg (Endo Pharmaceuticals Inc.)
- Meloxicam 15 mg (Lupin Pharmaceuticals, Inc)
- Meloxicam 7.5 mg (Lupin Pharmaceuticals, Inc)
- Percocet 10/325 325 mg / 10 mg (Endo Pharmaceuticals Inc.)
- Propacet 100 650 mg / 100 mg (Teva Pharmaceuticals USA)
