Ingredient X

Book excerpt: Ingredient X: The Production of Effective Drugs deals with various aspects of pharmaceutical research and development, with emphasis on the importance of formulation ingredients on drug effectiveness and the role of the pharmaceutical development scientist in designing dosage forms for modern drugs. More than 50 illustrations are used to explain experiments and ""tools of the trade"". This book is comprised of four chapters and opens with an overview of research and development in the pharmaceutical industry, paying particular attention to the kind of work done by scientists according to the degree or level of training. The additives or so-called ""inert"" ingredients used in drug formulation are also considered. The next chapter explains how adding just the right amount of some ""inert"" ingredient—a factor X—can enhance the acceptability of a product to the user. The importance of maintaining drug potency in a dosage form, mainly through refrigeration or storage in cool places, is then discussed. The final chapter looks at the factors to consider to achieve the best possible drug formulation and most effective dosage form, including the safety factor. The need to establish correlations between laboratory quality tests and product performance during the development phase is highlighted. This monograph will be a useful resource for pharmacologists and pharmaceutical development scientists.