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Pharmaceutical Gel Capsule Materials
Enhance your oral soft gel capsule formulations with high quality ingredients
- Soft gelatin capsules have become a popular format for consumers in oral solid dose medicines. CARBOWAX™ SENTRY™ Liquid Polyethylene Glycol (PEG) is a pharmaceutical excipient that can be used in soft gel capsules as hydrophilic fillers to aid solubilization of active pharmaceutical ingredients (API) and as a plasticizer in the gel capsules’ shell and coating.
- Liquid PEG Low Aldehyde excipients reduce the risk of cross linking while addressing stringent regulatory requirements
Solutions for gel capsule applications
Reduce the risk of cross linking
The shell is prone to aldehyde induced cross-linking resulting in decreased disintegration, dissolution, and swelling properties.
Some APIs are susceptible to hydrolytic degradation (low pH environment) or oxidative degradation leading to:
- Decreased therapeutic effect
- Poor long-term stability of the finished drug product
CARBOWAX™ SENTRY™ PEGs Low Aldehyde:
- Strict specifications on peroxide and aldehyde levels
- Improved short and long-term stability of the gelatin shell and API in the formulation
- Uniform dissolution and drug release profiles
Recommended products:
Improve solubility in gel capsule formulation
Dow PEGs deliver unmatched solubility performance, find the right solubilizer for your poorly soluble or sensitive drugs.
CARBOWAX™ SENTRY™ PEGs:
- Function as an emulsifying and solubilizing agent in the fill matrix of soft gelatin capsules
- Allow for highly concentrated API solution, dispersion, or suspension
Recommended products:
- CARBOWAX™ SENTRY™ PEG 300 NF Low Aldehyde, Macrogol 300 Ph. Eur.
- CARBOWAX™ SENTRY™ PEG 400 NF Low Aldehyde, Macrogol 400 Ph. Eur.
- CARBOWAX™ SENTRY™ PEG 600 NF Low Aldehyde, Macrogol 600 Ph. Eur.
PuraGuard™ Propylene Glycol (PG) also acts as a co-solvent and can be used in combination with other solvents to improve the solubility and stability of APIs in gelatin capsules.
PG can also be used for lipid-based formulations to improve solubility, dissolution and absorption of poorly soluble APIs.
Enhance the elasticity of capsule shells
Our broad range of plasticizers help improve the elasticity of the soft gel capsule shells.
CARBOWAX™ SENTRY™ PEG:
- Nonvolatile plasticizer
- Ensure the effective formation of a flexible and acceptable film for gelatin capsules
Recommended products:
- CARBOWAX™ SENTRY™ PEG 300 NF Low Aldehyde, Macrogol 300 Ph. Eur.
- CARBOWAX™ SENTRY™ PEG 400 NF Low Aldehyde, Macrogol 400 Ph. Eur.
- CARBOWAX™ SENTRY™ PEG 600 NF Low Aldehyde, Macrogol 600 Ph. Eur.
- CARBOWAX™ SENTRY™ Polyethylene Glycol 1000 NF
The optimal gelatin to PEG ratio depends on your formulation components. Contact a Dow representative for assistance defining your ideal formulation.
Reduce degradation risks
Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients are often sensitive to oxidation or chemical attacks, either through direct attack ingredients or catalysis by transition metal ions which can occur during processing or storage. The addition of VERSENE™ NA helps to minimize these effects.
- Partially neutralized salt of EDTA in dry form
- Extends the life of in-process liquids, including coatings
Example formulations
Swipe to Scroll
Ingredients | Percent |
Naproxen Sodium | 13.5 |
Naproxen | 13.5 |
CARBOWAX™ SENTRY™ Polyethylene Glycol 400 NF Low Aldehyde, Macrogol 400 Ph. Eur. | 64.5 |
1.9 | |
Povidone K12 | 4.5 |
Water | 1.9 |
* leveraged from Patent # US11896566B2
Swipe to Scroll
Ingredients | Percent |
Fexofenadine HCl | 11.99 |
| CARBOWAX™ SENTRY™ Polyethylene Glycol 300 NF Low Aldehyde, Macrogol 300 Ph. Eur. | 54.2 |
Acetic Acid | 0.53 |
Povidone K-90 | 1.33 |
Gelatin | 19.42 |
Sorbitol, Special | 5.58 |
Glycerin | 6.94 |
Coloring | 0.01 |
* leveraged from patent # US2017119680A1
Swipe to Scroll
Ingredients | Percent |
Ibuprofen | 32.2 |
Pseudoephedrine HCl | 4.85 |
CARBOWAX™ SENTRY™ Polyethylene Glycol 400 NF Low Aldehyde, Macrogol 400 Ph. Eur. | 51 |
PEG-8 (MW 400) Caprylic/Capric Glycerides | 3.25 |
Potassium Carbonate | 4.35 |
Purified Water | 4.35 |
* leveraged from patent # WO2005063219A2
CARBOWAX™ SENTRY™ PEG Solubility Chart
Find the right solubilizer for your poorly soluble or sensitive drugs with this useful resource that compares water to PEG solubility.
Addressing Residual Solvent Limits
Discover our customized grades of liquid PEGs enabling lower levels of ethylene glycols in your formulations.
VERSENE™ NA Chelating Agent
Protect your pharmaceutical preparations with this effective stabilizer and preservative.
We are open to collaborate and support in solving any challenges you may have.