Question

A brand of Bayer's Aspirin has the following two highlighted ingredients (polysorbate 80

sodium lauryl sulfate). Explain their use in the formulation and speculate why they might have decided to use both instead of any one of them

Answer 1

Acetylsalicylic acid or Aspirin is a Non-steroidal Anti-inflammatory Drug( NSAID) widely used in the treatment of fever and relieve mild to moderate pain from conditions such as, toothaches, common cold, muscle aches and headaches. It is also used as anti-inflammatory agents in mild joint pains and inflammation due to arthritis.

While tablets are made, two types of ingredients such as Active components and inactive components. Active components are those chemicals which produce the desired pharmacological effect and the inactive components are those chemicals which aids the active ingredients to achieve its effects. Poly-sorbate 80 and Sodium lauryl sulfate are inactive ingredients generally used in many pharmacological combinations including Aspirin.

Poly-sorbate 80 is normally used in medicines and cosmetic agents as non-ionic surfactant and emulsifier. In medicines it is used as an excipient. An excipient is the substance used to aid the long term stabilization and bulking agents. It enhances the active ingredient in increasing the drug absorption, reducing viscosity and enhancing solubility. It will also aid the in vitro stability by acting as an anti-denaturation agent and increases the shelf life of the drug.

Sodium lauryl sulfate is an anionic detergent and surfactant used in many medicine and more widely used in cosmetic products. In medicines it is used as an inactive wetting agent. In tablets it help to improve the water intake during disintegration and facilitate the faster dissolution of the active ingratiate. This property help for efficient and faster absorption of the active ingredient.