There are various elements or components involved in a drug that are vital to produce a desired health effect are called active pharmaceutical ingredients. For example, acetaminophen is an active pharmaceutical Ingredient in Tylenol. Knowledge of APIs helps differentiate between generic drugs and its brand name versions. It requires a mix of multiple application chemical compounds to process an API.
Definition of Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients
The main ingredient contained in a medicine that is required to provide a desired effect is called API. There are stringent laws and regulations to be followed to manufacture and introduce any drug into the market. This is necessary to maintain quality, consistency and minimize the risk of contamination.Any medicine or drug consists of 2 main components:
- 1. Active pharmaceutical Ingredient (central ingredient).
- 2. Excipient (any substances other than the drug, which are chemically inactive).
Different Types of Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients
APIs are segmented into 2 categories:
- 1. Synthetic Chemical APIs: Known as small molecules but are a major part of the global commercial pharma market.
- 2. Natural Chemical APIs: Mainly used in biologics, these are making slow but steady inroads into the global pharma market and gaining popularity.
Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients – Strength & Intermediates
Active pharmaceutical ingredient companies in India and the rest of the world need to follow strict FDA rules, specifications and standardizations to measure the amount of API in every drug. The amount may vary according to product and testing techniques to maintain effectiveness. The FDA law requires every drugs’ effectiveness to be demonstrated to the fullest before approving it to be used by patients.
