Silicon Dioxide
Excipient (pharmacologically inactive substance)
What is Silicon Dioxide?
Silicon dioxide (SiO2), or silica, is known in nature as sand or quartz. It occurs naturally in the earth’s crust, and silicates are present in water, animals and plants. Silicates are also consumed as part of the natural human diet.
In the pharmaceutical industry, silicon dioxide (also known as colloidal silicon dioxide) has many uses in tablet-making, including as an anti-caking agent, adsorbent, disintegrant, or glidant to allow powder to flow freely when tablets are processed. These compounds appear to be biologically inert. Silicon dioxide is generally recognized as safe by the FDA.[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 08/19/2011
[2] FDA’s SCOGS database; Silicon dioxides, Report No. 61, 1979.; ID Code: 14808-60-7; http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/fcn/fcnDetailNavigation.cfm?rpt=scogsListing&id=276; accessed August 12, 2011.
Top Medications Containing Silicon Dioxide
- Acetaminophen and Hydrocodone Bitartrate 500 mg / 5 mg (Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals)
- Acetaminophen and Hydrocodone Bitartrate 500 mg / 10 mg (Vintage Pharmaceuticals Inc.)
- Acetaminophen and Oxycodone Hydrochloride 325 mg / 5 mg (Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals)
- Acetaminophen and Oxycodone Hydrochloride 325 mg / 10 mg (Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals)
- Alprazolam 1 mg (Mylan Pharmaceuticals Inc.)
- Clonazepam 1 mg (Mylan Pharmaceuticals Inc.)
- Clonazepam 0.5 mg (Mylan Pharmaceuticals Inc.)
- Cyclobenzaprine Hydrochloride 10 mg (Mylan Pharmaceuticals Inc.)
- Endocet 325 mg / 10 mg (Endo Pharmaceuticals Inc.)
- Methadone Hydrochloride 10 mg (Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals)
- Methocarbamol 750 mg (Qualitest Pharmaceuticals Inc.)
- Morphine Sulfate SR 30 mg (Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals)
- Morphine Sulfate SR 15 mg (Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals)
- Oxycodone Hydrochloride 30 mg (Actavis)
- Oxycodone Hydrochloride 30 mg (Actavis)
- Oxycodone Hydrochloride 15 mg (Actavis)
- Oxycodone Hydrochloride 15 mg (Actavis)
- Oxycodone Hydrochloride 30 mg (Mylan Pharmaceuticals Inc.)
- Roxicet 325 mg / 5 mg (Roxane Laboratories, Inc.)
- Xanax 2 mg (Pfizer U.S. Pharmaceuticals Group)
