Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose
Excipient (pharmacologically inactive substance)
What is it?
Hypromellose, also commonly known as hydroxypropyl methycellulose (HPMC) is a coating agent and film-former used as an inactive ingredient in the pharmaceutical industry.[1] It has also been used as a rate-controlling polymer for sustained-release dose forms.
As a powder, hypromellose is off-white to beige and may be in granules. Hypromellose is considered an inert ingredient. It has a high viscosity and is often used in ophthalmic preparations as artificial tears for dry eyes.[2] In the US, it is available over-the-counter (OTC) in such products as Isopto Tears and Nature’s Tears.
[1] [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] Innovate Us. What is Hypromellose? http://www.innovateus.net/health/what-hypromellose. Accessed 08/19/2011
Top Medications with this excipient
- Factive 320 mg (Oscient Pharmaceuticals)
- Famotidine 40 mg (Genpharm Inc.)
- Flumadine 100 mg (Forest Pharmaceuticals, Inc.)
- Flumadine 100 mg (Forest Pharmaceuticals, Inc.)
- Flurbiprofen 50 mg (Caraco Pharmaceutical Laboratories)
- Fluvoxamine Maleate 50 mg (Genpharm Inc.)
- Fluvoxamine Maleate 100 mg (Genpharm Inc.)
- Isosorbide Mononitrate Extended Release 30 mg (Actavis U.S. (Purepac Pharmaceutical Company))
- Metformin Hydrochloride 500 mg (Actavis)
- Metformin Hydrochloride 850 mg (Actavis Elizabeth LLC)
- Metformin Hydrochloride 1000 mg (Actavis U.S. (Purepac Pharmaceutical Company))
- Metformin Hydrochloride Extended-Release 500 mg (Actavis U.S. (Alpharma USPD))
- Metoprolol Tartrate 50 mg (Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Inc.)
- Oxandrin 2.5 mg (Savient Pharmaceuticals)
- Oxandrin 10 mg (Savient Pharmaceuticals)
- Oxycodone Hydrochloride Extended Release 10 mg (Endo Pharmaceuticals Inc.)
- Soma compound with Codeine 325 mg / 200 mg / 16 mg (MedPointe Healthcare Inc.)
- TROVAN 200 MG (Pfizer U.S. Pharmaceuticals Group)
- Zolpidem Tartrate 10 mg (InvaGen Pharmaceuticals Inc.)
- Zolpidem Tartrate 5 mg (InvaGen Pharmaceuticals Inc.)
