Sodium Citrate
Excipient (pharmacologically inactive substance)
What is Sodium Citrate?
Sodium citrate is the sodium salt of citric acid. It has a sour taste similar to citric acid, and is salty as well. It is often used as a food preservative, and as a flavoring in the food industry. In the pharmaceutical industry it is used to control pH. It may be used as an alkalizing agent, buffering agent, emulsifier, or sequestering agent.[1]
According to the FDA Select Committee on Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) food substances, citrate salts, including sodium citrate, are generally regarded as safe when used in normal quantities.[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; triethyl citrate; SCOGS-Report Number: 84; http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/fcn/fcnDetailNavigation.cfm?rpt=scogsListing&id=356 Accessed March 26, 2012.
Top Medications Containing Sodium Citrate
- Buprenorphine Hydrochloride (Sublingual) 8 mg (Roxane Laboratories, Inc.)
- Buprenorphine Hydrochloride (Sublingual) 8 mg (Teva Pharmaceuticals USA)
- Buprenorphine Hydrochloride (Sublingual) 2 mg (Teva Pharmaceuticals USA)
- Ery-Tab 250 mg (Abbott Laboratories)
- Erythrocin Stearate Filmtab 250 mg (Abbott Laboratories)
- Erythromycin 500 mg (erythromycin base) (Abbott Laboratories)
- Erythromycin 250 mg (erythromycin base) (Abbott Laboratories)
- Meloxicam 15 mg (Carlsbad Technology, Inc.)
- Meloxicam 7.5 mg (Carlsbad Technology, Inc.)
- Penicillin V Potassium 500 mg (Teva Pharmaceuticals USA)
- Penicillin V Potassium 250 mg (Teva Pharmaceuticals USA)
- Seroquel XR 50 mg (AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals)
- Seroquel XR 300 mg (AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals)
- Seroquel XR 150 mg (AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals)
- Seroquel XR 200 mg (AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals)
- Seroquel XR 400 mg (AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals)
- Suboxone 8 mg / 2 mg (Reckitt Benckiser Pharmaceuticals, Inc.)
- Suboxone 2 mg / 0.5 mg (Reckitt Benckiser Pharmaceuticals, Inc.)
- Subutex 8 mg (Reckitt Benckiser Pharmaceuticals, Inc.)
- Subutex 2 mg (Reckitt Benckiser Pharmaceuticals, Inc.)
