Polymorphs and Other Solid Forms of Pharmaceutical Excipients

Abstrakt

Pharmaceutical excipients may occur in polymorphs and other solid forms and as active pharmaceutical ingredients. Excipients, polymorphs or the forms are not specified in the patient information leaflets on the dosage forms. Polymorphs of lactose, mannitol and sorbitol, various forms of cellulose and its derivatives, starch forms and poly(N-vinylpyrrolidone) are discussed in detail here. Identification of polymorphs and other solid forms can be carried out by X-ray powder diffraction as well as by IR, Raman and solid-state NMR spectroscopies.