The International Pharmacopoeia

Book excerpt: The International Pharmacopoeia contains a collection of recommended methods for analysis and quality specifications for pharmaceutical substances, excipients and products. This new edition consolidates the texts of the five separate volumes of the third edition and includes new monographs for antiretroviral substances (didanosine, indinavir sulfate, nelfinavir mesilate, nevirapine, ritonavir, saquinovir, and saquinovir mesilate) adopted by the WHO Expert Committee on Specifications for Pharmaceutical Preparations in October 2004. It includes some additions and amendments to the general notices of the Pharmacopoeia, as well as some changes to its layout and format. Volume one contains monographs for pharmaceutical substances A to O and the General Notices; and volume two contains monographs for pharmaceutical substances P to Z, together with those for dosage forms and radiopharmaceutical preparations, the methods of analysis and reagents.