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Stearic Acid

    Synonyms: Acidum stearicum; cetylacetic acid; Crodacid; Cristal G; Cristal S; Dervacid; E570; Edenor; Emersol; Extra AS; Extra P; Extra S; Extra ST; 1-heptadecanecarboxylic acid; Hystrene; Industrene; Kortacid 1895; Pearl Steric; Pristerene; stereophanic acid; Tegostearic.

    Description: Stearic acid is a hard, white or faintly yellow-colored, somewhat glossy, crystalline solid or a white or yellowish white powder. It has a slight odor (with an odor threshold of 20 ppm) and taste suggesting tallow

    Chemical Name: Octadecanoic acid

    Emulsifying agent; solubilizing agent; tablet and capsule lubricant.

    • Stearic acid is widely used in oral and topical pharmaceutical formulations.

    • It is mainly used in oral formulations as a tablet and capsule lubricant, although it may also be used as a binder or in combination with shellac as a tablet coating.

    • It has also been suggested that stearic acid may be used in enteric tablet coatings and as a sustained-release drug carrier.

    • In topical formulations, stearic acid is used as an emulsifying and solubilizing agent.

    • When partially neutralized with alkalis or triethanolamine, stearic acid is used in the preparation of creams.

    • The partially neutralized stearic acid forms a creamy base when mixed with 5–15 times its own weight of aqueous liquid, the appearance and plasticity of the cream being determined by the proportion of alkali used.

    • Stearic acid is used as the hardening agent in glycerin suppositories.

    • Stearic acid is also widely used in cosmetics and food products.

    Stearic acid is incompatible with most metal hydroxides and may be incompatible with bases, reducing agents, and oxidizing agents.

    Stearic acid is widely used in oral and topical pharmaceutical formulations; it is also used in cosmetics and food products. Stearic acid is generally regarded as a nontoxic and nonirritant material. However, consumption of excessive amounts may be harmful.

    Observe normal precautions appropriate to the circumstances and quantity of material handled. Stearic acid dust may be irritant to the skin, eyes, and mucous membranes. Eye protection, gloves, and a dust respirator are recommended. Stearic acid is combustible.

    Calcium stearate; magnesium stearate; polyoxyethylene stearates; purified stearic acid; zinc stearate.