What is in your paracetamol?
did you know…
Stearic acid
Stearic acid is a common excipient used in manufacturing pharmaceuticals, mainly as a tablet and capsule lubricant and binder[1].
Generally, stearic acid is derived from the fat found in the stomach of animals such as pigs, cows or sheep and is therefore not vegan. However, it is becoming more common to use stearic acid derived from plant sources.
For example, Lush includes vegetable-based stearic acid derived from palm oil and olive oil. Changing the stearic acid origin can affect its properties, such as the length of shelf life and effectiveness of the product[2].
Stearic acids can also be found in…
Skin care (such as shea butter)
Foods (such as bakes good, cheese or hard candy)
Soaps
References:
1.Rowe RC, Sheskey PJ, Quinn ME. Handbook of Pharmaceutical Excipients. London: the Pharmaceutical Press. 2009.
2.Lush. Ingredient: stearic acid. 2020 [cited 13/0720]; Available from: https://uk.lush.com/ingredients/stearic-acid
