This resource can help you understand how other common excipients are used in medicines, and whether their use in medicines is halāl (permissible) or harām (prohibited) in Islam.

This resource is for the Muslim community (including patients, carers, parents and members of the public). All healthcare professionals (HCPs), their teams and anyone involved in delivering care and support (across all care settings) to Muslim individuals, may also find it useful. It can be used to support person-centred and informed decision-making around taking medicines that align with an individual’s Islamic values and beliefs. 

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 halāl diet.

The excipients listed below are generally considered permissible in a halāl 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 colouring 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, colourless, and odourless 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 contains one of these other common excipients using the relevant product patient information leaflet (PIL) or summary of product characteristics (SPC) which is available on the elctronic medicines compendium (emc) website. You may also find our resource on ‘How to find out if a medicine contains harām ingredients and/or excipients’ useful. If you are still unsure if a medicine contains one of these other common excipients, speak to your local pharmacist as they are the experts in medicines. 

It is important to remember that even if you find out a medicine contains possible harām ingredients and/or excipients, is derived from harām sources, or that there is cross-contamination with harām sources, this does not always mean it is prohibited to take/use. For further information, see our resource on ‘What to do if a medicine contains harām ingredients and/or excipients’. It includes the conditions of when it is acceptable to take/use a medicine in these circumstances. It can also be used to support person-centred discussions between individuals and HCPs, and help make informed decisions around taking medicines that are both clinically appropriate and align with an individual’s Islamic values and beliefs.

References

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