Povidone
Excipient (pharmacologically inactive substance)
What is Povidone?
Povidone (polyvinylpyrrolidone, PVP) is used in the pharmaceutical industry as a synthetic polymer vehicle for dispersing and suspending drugs. It also acts as a disintegrant and tablet binder. It appears as white to off-white hygroscopic powder in its pure form and is readily soluble in water. Povidone has the molecular formula of (C6H9NO)n. Povidone formulations are widely used in the pharmaceutical industry due to their ability to dissolve in both water and oil solvents.[1]
Povidone’s most common use is in the topical povidone-iodine solution (Aerodine, Betadine), where iodine is released as an antiseptic. Povidone-iodine is often used to prevent surgical incision infections. Povidone has also been used as blood volume expander and as an antibacterial in dental procedures. Chlorhexidine-alcohol is also used topically as a pre-operative surgical antiseptic and has been shown in one study to have slightly better antimicrobial activity.[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 08/19/2011
[2] Rabih, et al. Chlorhexidine-alcohol versus povidone-iodine for surgical-site antisepsis. NEJM 2010:362:18-26.
Top Medications Containing Povidone
- 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 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)
- Buprenorphine Hydrochloride (Sublingual) 8 mg (Roxane Laboratories, Inc.)
- Endocet 325 mg / 10 mg (Endo Pharmaceuticals Inc.)
- Meloxicam 15 mg (Lupin Pharmaceuticals, Inc)
- Methocarbamol 750 mg (Qualitest Pharmaceuticals Inc.)
- Naproxen 500 mg (Teva Pharmaceuticals USA)
- Naproxen 500 mg (Glenmark Generics Inc.)
- Nucynta tapentadol 50 mg (Ortho-McNeil-Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc.)
- Oxycodone Hydrochloride 30 mg (Qualitest Pharmaceuticals Inc.)
- Oxycodone Hydrochloride 15 mg (Qualitest Pharmaceuticals Inc.)
- OxyContin 80 mg (Purdue Pharma LP)
- Propacet 100 650 mg / 100 mg (Teva Pharmaceuticals USA)
