This resource on other common excipients used in medicines, is for the Muslim community (including patients, carers, parents and members of the public). Healthcare professionals may also find this resource useful when supporting people with gathering and understanding information about their medicine(s).

There is a table (listed in alphabetical order) to help you understand what the other common excipients used in medicines are, the purpose of the excipient and if they are halāl or harām (including the reasoning) for people following a halal diet.

The excipients listed below are generally considered permissible in a halal diet due to their synthetic or plant-based origins and absence of animal-derived components. You may still want to check for halāl-certification with the manufacturer to ensure halāl-compliant manufacturing; however, they may have limited information.

Excipient name	Purpose	Permissibility status
Hexylene glycol	Used in topical and oral formulations as a solvent. It acts as a humectant in topical creams, acts as a preservative in many pharmaceutical formulations and stabilises emulsions. (1)	✅ Halāl. Typically synthetic, free from animal-derived ingredients.
Hydroxypropylcellulose	Cellulose derivative used in pharmaceutical formulations. Uses include as a binder, stabilizer, and thickener in extended-release tablets and ophthalmic solutions.(2)	✅ Halāl. Typically synthetic, free from animal-derived ingredients.
Hypromellose (HPMC)	Semi-synthetic polymer derived from cellulose. It is used as a film-forming agent, binder, and thickener in controlled-release tablets and solutions.(3)	✅Halāl. Synthetic, contains no animal-derived substances.
Indigo Carmine	A synthetic blue dye (FD&C Blue No. 2). It is used as a coloring agent for tablets, capsules, and in injections.(4)	Likely halāl. Synthetically produced without animal-derived components.
Macrogol (Polyethylene Glycol)	A synthetic polymer available in various molecular weights. Uses include as a laxative in various formulations. (5)	✅ Halāl. Synthetic, contains no ethanol or animal-derived components.
Polysorbate	Surfactants derived from sorbitol and fatty acids. Uses include as a surfactant and emulsifier to improve solubility and protein stability. (6)	✅ Halāl. Typically plant-based or synthetic, no animal-derived ingredients.
Pregelatinised Starch	Is a modified starch that improves solubility. Uses include as a binder and disintegrant in oral tablets. (7)	✅ Halāl. Typically derived from plant sources such as corn, potato, or rice.
Propylene Glycol	A synthetic, colorless, and odorless liquid. Solvent, humectant, and preservative in injectable, oral, and liquid formulations. (8)	✅Halāl. Synthetic, contains no ethanol, and no animal-derived ingredients.

How do I find out if a medicine contains one of these other common excipients?

You can check if a medicine is contains any of these other common excipients using the relevant patient information leaflet (PIL) or summary of product characteristics (SPC) which is available on the electronic medicines compendium (emc) website. You may also find our resources on ‘How to find out if a medicine contains haram ingredients or excipients’ useful. If you are still unsure if your medicine contains any of these other common excipients listed above, speak to your local healthcare professional such as your local pharmacist.

It is important to remember that even if a medicine contains a harām ingredient or excipient, it does not always mean it is prohibited to take. If you find out a medicine contains harām ingredients or excipients from haram sources, then see our guide on ‘What to do if a medicine contains harām ingredients or excipients’. The guide includes the conditions of when it is acceptable to take a medicine that contains harām ingredients or excipients from harām sources. It may also help you make informed decisions on the next steps in discussions with your healthcare professional. If you are still not sure if it is permissible to take your medicine, then speak to your local Imam or trusted Islamic scholar (ideally who has relevant knowledge and expertise in the Fiqh of medicines).

References and further reading

1. Rowe, R. C., Sheskey, P. J., & Quinn, M. E. (Eds.). (2009). Handbook of pharmaceutical excipients (6th ed.). Pharmaceutical Press.
2. Brady, J., Dürig, T., Lee, P. I., & Li, J.-X. (2017). Chapter 7 – Polymer properties and characterization. In Y. Qiu, Y. Chen, G. G. Z. Zhang, L. Yu, & R. V. Mantri (Eds.), Developing solid oral dosage forms (2nd ed., pp. 181–223). Academic Press. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-802447-8.00007-8
3. Mašková, E., Kubová, K., Raimi-Abraham, B. T., Vllasaliu, D., Vohlídalová, E., Turánek, J., & Mašek, J. (2020). Hypromellose – A traditional pharmaceutical excipient with modern applications in oral and oromucosal drug delivery. Journal of Controlled Release, 324, 695–727. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jconrel.2020.05.045
4. Rupa Health. (n.d.). Indigo Carmine (Blue 2 dye): Safety, uses, and side effects.
5. Dabaja, A., Dabaja, A., & Abbas, M. (2023, May 8). Polyethylene glycol. In StatPearls. StatPearls Publishing. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK557652/
6. Kerwin, B. A. (2008). Polysorbates 20 and 80 used in the formulation of protein biotherapeutics: Structure and degradation pathways. Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 97(8), 2924–2935. https://doi.org/10.1002/jps.21190
7. Rojas, J., Uribe, Y., & Zuluaga, A. (2012). Powder and compaction characteristics of pregelatinized starches. Pharmazie, 67(6), 513–517. PMID: 22822539
8. https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/documents/report/propylene-glycol-used-excipient-report-published-support-questions-and-answers-propylene-glycol-used-excipient-medicinal-products-human-use_en.pdf