Pharmaceutical raw materials can be classified in detail according to different classification standards:
Classification by source:
Natural products: including plant extracts, animal tissues and cells, microbial fermentation products, etc. For example, plant raw materials such as ginseng, astragalus, angelica, etc.; animal raw materials such as bezoar, musk, etc.; microbial raw materials such as penicillin, streptomycin, etc.
Synthetic products: including chemically synthesized organic compounds, inorganic compounds, etc.
Classification by function:
API: active ingredients used in pharmaceutical production, including chemically synthesized APIs, biological product APIs, natural product APIs, etc. For example, anti-infective drugs such as penicillin industrial salt, amoxicillin, etc.; vitamins such as vitamin C, folic acid, etc.; antipyretic analgesics such as aspirin, ibuprofen, etc.
Excipients: inactive ingredients used in the manufacture of drugs, mainly playing auxiliary, stabilizing, and protective roles. For example, solvents, solubilizers, stabilizers, etc.
Classification by use:
Preparation raw materials: raw materials used in finished pharmaceutical products, including oral solid preparations, injections, patches, sprays, etc.
Intermediates: intermediate products used in pharmaceuticals, including API intermediates, intermediate pharmaceuticals, etc.
Classification by chemical properties:
Organic compounds: including aliphatic compounds, aromatic compounds, heterocyclic compounds, etc.
Inorganic compounds: including oxides, hydrides, halides, sulfides, etc.
These classification methods help to better understand and manage raw materials in the pharmaceutical industry and ensure their effective use and safety in the pharmaceutical process.