PVP (Povidone) with its good solubility,physiological compatibility, adhesion and complex ability and other properties, are now widely used in many industries,especially in the field of medical and health care. It can be used as adhesives, excipients, coating agents, Sterilizers, solubilizers, slow release agents, capsule shells, dispersion stabilizers, film formers and etc. In some developed countries, such as the United States, Germany, Japan, PVP in the field of medical and health care applications accounted for about 40% to 55% of PVP consumption.
PVP powder application as drug excipients
PVP has good adhesion and strong dissolution. PVP formed tablets, after taking in the digestive tract, will dissolved rapidly, so that the tablet partially inflated and disintegrated and release the drug debris, thereby accelerating the dissolution of drugs absorption, and plays a role in rapid efficacy. PVP can be dissolved in water and most organic solvents. For these reasons, PVP has been widely used in pharmaceutical tablets, especially in foreign countries. PVP as a pharmaceutical tablet adhesive,among all K value items, polyvinylpyrrollidone K30 is most widely used. The dosage changes with the pharmaceutical tablet mechanical strength requirements and the nature of the drug itself, generally 0.5% to 5%.
| Type | PVP K-Value | PVP Content（% ） | Main Function |
| Tablet | PVP-K30 | 0.5～5 | Adhesive,Solubilizer,Excipient |
| Granular | PVP-K30 | 0.5～5 | Adhesive,Solubilizer,Excipient |
| Coating Agent | PVP-K30 | 0.5～2 | Pills Coating,Film forming agent |
| Coprecipitation agent | PVP-K30 | — | Improve the dissolution rate |
| Injection | PVP-K30 | 5～15 | Solubilizer,Dispersant |
| Oral solution | PVP-K15 ，K60 | — | Dispersant,Thickening |
| Oral tablet | PVP-K30 ，K90 | 2～10 | Increase efficacy& reduce irritation |
| lozenge | PVP-K30 ，K60 | 0.5～5 | Excipient,Sustained release agent |
| Capsule | PVP-K30 | 1～2 | Granulation Agent,Protective agent,Disintegrating agent |
| Disinfectant | PVP-I | — | Sterilization, disinfection, reduce toxicity & irritation |
Another important use of PVP as a pharmaceutical excipient is to play the role as coprecipitating agent.For some drugs ,they have good efficacy, but with fatal drawback of low solubility in water.As as result, bioavailability is greatly reduced.In this condition,using certain water-soluble substances with these drugs co-precipitation, and thus improve the solubility of drugs and dissolution rate, to reduce the dose, improve the efficacy of the effect. PVP is widely used as a co-precipitant for insoluble drugs.
PVP application in liquid medicine
Besides the applications for PVP in solid drugs ,PVP also plays an important role in the injection and eye drops.For example, PVP used in some injections,with its association between drugs , on the one hand acts as a solubilizer ,on the other hand for some pharmaceuticals if placed too long they will crystallize or precipitate.PVP can play a decentralized and stable role. Povidone K17 for eye drops can reduce the irritation of the eye, prolong the role of eye drops.
