Magnesium Silicate
Excipient (pharmacologically inactive substance)
What is it?
Magnesium silicate (MgSiO3) when hydrated is most commonly known as "talc". In the pharmaceutical industry it is used as an anticaking agent to improve powder flow in tablet compression. Talc is used cosmetically in talcum and baby powder as an adsorbent. Talc has been reported to be used in some food products, and is generally recognized as safe by the FDA.[1]
Natural talc contains asbestos, a substance that may lead to lung cancer. However, talcum products used in cosmetics have been free of asbestos since the 1970s.[2] Some studies have reported small increases in ovarian cancer with the use of asbestos-free talcum powder, but studies are conflicting and the results are not definitive. The American Cancer Society suggests corn starch-based cosmetics might be an alternative in those concerned about talc use.[2]
[1] FDA’s SCOGS database; Magnesium silicate, Report No. 61, 1979.; ID Code: 1343-88-0; http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/fcn/fcnDetailNavigation.cfm?rpt=scogsListing&id=61; accessed August 18, 2011.
[2] American Cancer Society. Talcum Powder and Cancer. http://www.cancer.org/Cancer/CancerCauses/OtherCarcinogens/AtHome/talcum-powder-and-cancer. Accessed August 18, 2011.
Top Medications with this excipient
- Acetaminophen and Tramadol Hydrochloride 325 mg / 37.5 mg (Amneal Pharmaceuticals)
- Amoxicillin and Clavulanate Potassium 875 mg / 125 mg (Lek Pharmaceuticals)
- Amphetamine and Dextroamphetamine Extended Release 20 mg (Actavis Elizabeth LLC)
- Amphetamine and Dextroamphetamine Extended Release 20 mg (Global Pharmaceuticals)
- Amphetamine and Dextroamphetamine Extended Release 30 mg (Actavis Elizabeth LLC)
- Ciprofloxacin Hydrochloride 500 mg (Cobalt Laboratories Inc)
- Clindamycin Hydrochloride 300 mg (Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Inc.)
- Cyclobenzaprine Hydrochloride 10 mg (Breckenridge Pharmaceutical, Inc.)
- Cyclobenzaprine Hydrochloride 5 mg (Breckenridge Pharmaceutical, Inc.)
- Diclofenac Sodium Delayed Release 75 mg (Pack Pharmaceuticals, LLC)
- Gabapentin 300 mg (InvaGen Pharmaceuticals, Inc.)
- Gabapentin 300 mg (Ascend Laboratories, LLC)
- Gabapentin 600 mg (Glenmark Generics Inc.)
- Gabapentin 300 mg (Aurobindo Pharma)
- Hydroxychloroquine Sulfate 200 mg (Ranbaxy Pharmaceuticals Inc.)
- Hydroxyzine Hydrochloride 25 mg (KVK Tech Inc.)
- Ibuprofen 800 mg (Marksans Pharma Inc.)
- Lyrica 75 mg (Pfizer U.S. Pharmaceuticals Group)
- Methylphenidate Hydrochloride Extended-Release 36 mg (Mallinckrodt, Inc.)
- Tramadol Hydrochloride 50 mg (Northstar Rx LLC)
