Bulking agent (null)

Bulking agent Overview

Bulking agents are inactive ingredients (excipients) incorporated into pharmaceutical products and dietary supplements to increase product size and facilitate tablet formation when the active drug is present in low quantities. Common bulking agents include lactose, mannitol, cellulose, rice flour, calcium sulfate, kaolin, sucrose, sorbitol, sodium chloride, and dicalcium phosphate. They do not themselves exert therapeutic effects, nor do they function as biological targets for drug action. Bulking agents are required to be evaluated for safety by regulatory agencies and are chosen for compatibility, inertness, and ease of processing. Some bulking agents may affect patient tolerability through rare allergies or intolerances (e.g., lactose). In summary, "bulking agent" is not an annotated therapeutic target, but rather a general category of excipient crucial for pharmaceutical product design and formulation.

Mechanism of Action

Biological Functions

Safety Considerations