Magnesium Stearate

UsesMagnesium stearate has been widely used for many decades in the food industry as an emulsifier, binder and thickener, as well as an anticaking, lubricant, release, and antifoaming agent. It is present in many food supplements, confectionery, chewing gum, herbs and spices, and baking ingredients. Magnesium stearate is also commonly used as an inactive ingredient in the production of pharmaceutical tablets, capsules and powders. The main reason for its good lubricating properties is its hydrophobic nature and an ability to reduce friction between tablets and die wall during the ejection process. Magnesium stearate can be regarded as being non-toxic, the United States, Germany and Japan allow it to be applied to products being contact with food. However, it doesn’t have wide application to be applied as PVC heat stabilizers. In China and some other countries Pharmacopoeia, there are always records of this specie. The pharmacopeia has also made provisions on the magnesium content, moisture, heavy metals, iron, sulfate and chloride content.

DescriptionMagnesium stearate, also called octa decanoic acid, magnesium salt, is a white substance, powder which becomes solid at room temperature. It has the chemical formula Mg(C18H35O2)2. It is a salt containing two equivalents of stearate (the anion of stearic acid) and one magnesium cation (Mg2+). Magnesium stearate melts at about 120 °C, is not soluble in water, and is generally considered safe for human consumption at levels below 2500 mg/kg per day.In 1979, the FDA's Subcommittee on GRAS (generally recognized as safe) Substances (SCOGS) reported, "There is no evidence in the available information on ... magnesium stearate ... that demonstrates, or suggests reasonable grounds to suspect, a hazard to the public when they are used at levels that are now current and in the manner now practiced, or which might reasonably be expected in the future.".

Useswidely used in the fields of the plastic, mold-releasing agent for tablets (need meeting the medicine criterion), emulsifying agents of cosmetics. It also can conjugate with Ca Soap as stabilizer of PVC.

UsesMagnesium Stearate is the magnesium salt of stearic acid which functions as a lubricant, binder, emulsifier, and anticaking agent. it is a white powder that is insoluble in water. it is used as a lubricant or die release in tableting pressed candies and is also used in sugar- less gum and mints.

UsesMagnesium stearate is often used as a anti-adherent in the manufacture of medical tablets, capsules and powders. In this regard, the substance is also useful, because it has lubricating properties, preventing ingredients from sticking to manufacturing equipment during the compression of chemical powders into solid tablets; magnesium stearate is the most commonly used lubricant for tablets. Studies have shown that magnesium stearate may affect the release time of the active ingredients in tablets, etc., but not that it reduces the overall bioavailability of those ingredients. As a food additive or pharmaceutical excipient, its E number is E470b. Magnesium stearate is also used to bind sugar in hard candies like mints, and is a common ingredient in baby formulas. In pure powder form, the substance can be a dust explosion hazard, although this issue is effectively insignificant beyond the manufacturing plants using it. Magnesium stearate is manufactured from both animal and vegetable oils. Some nutritional supplements specify that the magnesium stearate used is sourced from vegetables. Magnesium stearate is a major component of "bathtub rings." When produced by soap and hard water, magnesium stearate and calcium stearate both form a white solid insoluble in water, and are collectively known as "soap scum.".

General DescriptionMagnesium stearate (Mg-St) is the magnesium salt of stearic acid. Its anhydrate, dihydrate and trihydrate forms have been prepared. The tabletting of the blends of magnesium stearate and lactose granules has been described. The influence of mixing time on hardness, disintegration time and ejection force on the compressed tablets was examined. Mg-St is widely used lubricant in pharmaceutical industry. It also plays a role in delaying the process of dissolution. Its detection in tablets by laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy has been proposed.