MINERALOGICAL AND CHEMICAL STUDIES ON SOME MINERALS USED IN PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRIES IN EGYPT

Background: Suitable minerals for use in the pharmaceutical industry can be derived from Egyptian desert. Aim: mineralogical & chemical studies on some minerals used in pharmaceutical industries in Egypt.
Large numbers of minerals are used in pharmaceutical industries as well as in cosmetic product.
Physiochemical properties of these minerals play an important role in using of these minerals in pharmaceutical industries; hence, these properties were evaluated and compared with commercial brands that stipulated with the enforced pharmacopoeia.
 A material to be used in pharmaceutical formulations must have low or zero toxicity & non carcinogen.
And we were able through tests to prove that minerals under study conformed to international standards for minerals use in medicines and prescribed in British pharmacopeia (2009) & European Medicines Agency Pre-authorization Evaluation of Medicines for Human Use.
 
   Introduction                       
The role of industrial minerals in pharmaceuticals falls into one of two main categories: excipients or active substance. The excipients have no intrinsic health benefit on their own; they are used solely as carriers, allowing the intake of minute amounts of active substances, in a practical way.
Minerals in pharmaceutical and cosmetic preparations a large number of minerals are used as active ingredients in pharmaceutical preparations as well as in cosmetic products.  Some minerals have been used for therapeutic purposes since prehistoric times. The therapeutic activity of these minerals is controlled by their physical and physico-chemical properties as well as their chemical composition; a material to be used in pharmaceutical formulations must have low or zero toxicity.
Those minerals with a high sorption capacity and a large specific surface area can also function in pharmaceutical preparation as gastrointestinal and dermatological protectors, and anti-inflammatories and local anesthetics, while water-soluble species can be used as homeostatics, antianemics and decongestive eye drops. Likewise, minerals with a high heat retention capacity can serve as anti-inflammatories and local anesthetics, minerals with high astringency are used as antiseptics and disinfectants and minerals which react with cysteine can serve as keratolytic reducers
In other hand Water-soluble species can be utilized in cosmetic product as ingredients in toothpastes and bathroom salts. Those minerals with a high sorption capacity and a large specific surface area can function as creams, powders and emulsions while minerals with proper hardness can act as abrasives in toothpastes. Highly opaque minerals and minerals of high reflectance are used in creams, powders and emulsions. Likewise, minerals with high astringency are included in deodorants.
Acid neutralization increases the pH of the gastric fluid from 1.5–2.0 to ≥7, depending on mineral type. According to current opinion, an effective antacid is one that elevates the pH by 3–4 units, and causes the disappearance of "free acidity". When the pH of the gastric fluid exceeds 7, "acid rebound" may occur by which the parietal glands are stimulated in order to restore normal acidity.