Friday, May 21, 2021

Difference between syrup and elixir

The major difference between syrup and elixir is that the syrup is a thick and sweet aqueous solution of sugar that does not contain alcohol, whereas an elixir is a sweetened, clear, pleasantly flavored liquid formulation that contains both water and alcohol.

Based on the physical properties dosage forms include solid, liquid, semi-solid, and gaseous dosage forms, and based on the route of drug administration dosage forms include oral, topical, parenteral (Injection), buccal, inhalation, and the sublingual route they are intended to deliver the active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) to a particular site in the body. Some of the examples of dosage forms are capsules, tablets, granules, lozenges, syrups, liquids, drops, gels, ointments, pastes, creams, suppositories, aerosols, sprays, mouthwash, and inhalers, etc.

Oral liquid formulations are usually syrup, elixir, linctus, mixture, oral emulsions, oral solutions, oral drop, and oral suspensions containing one or more drugs in an appropriate vehicle. The overall range of liquid oral doses includes a wide range of dosage forms, broadly classified as monophasic and biphasic. Monophasic forms are homogeneous and fully dissolved in the liquid, while biphasic forms are not dissolved in the vehicle. Liquid oral dosage forms offer more advantages and flexibility than solid oral dosage forms.

Syrup:

The syrup is a thick concentrated aqueous preparation of sugar or sugar substitutes containing or not containing flavoring agents and medicinal substances. It is an oral suspension in liquid form that comes in three types such as simple syrup, medicinal syrup, and flavored syrup, and these are best suited for pediatric use. The pharmaceutical syrup is used as a flavored vehicle for medicine and is formulated by mixing active ingredients, water, aromas, sweeteners, thickener, flavors, and other ingredients, etc.

Elixir:

An elixir is a clear, sweet-tasting, hydro-alcoholic solution that is used for medical purposes, which is taken orally and is intended to cure different types of diseases. Pharmaceutical elixir contains at least one or more active ingredients with excipients, their alcohol content ranges from 10% to 40%. The alcohol concentration is determined by the amount necessary to maintain the drug or volatile oil in the solution. Reducing the amount of alcohol by adding the aqueous solution to the elixirs can lead to turbidity or separation.

Difference between syrup and elixir:

  • The syrup is a concentrated, viscous, aqueous solution, whereas the elixir is pleasantly flavored, sweetened hydro-alcoholic liquids.
  • The primary solvents in syrup are sugar and water, whereas the primary solvents in elixir are alcohol and water.
  • The syrup is an opaque (may not be clear) solution, whereas elixir is a clear solution.
  • The syrup has a thick consistency, while the elixir has a thin consistency.
  • Alcohol is not an essential ingredient in syrup, whereas alcohol is the essential ingredient in elixir.
  • The syrup is sweeter than the elixir, whereas the elixir is less sweet than syrup.
  • Syrups have a higher viscosity, whereas elixirs have a lower viscosity.
  • The syrup has a high concentration of sugar, while the elixir has a low concentration of sugar.
  • The syrup cannot be used for patients with diabetes, whereas elixir can be used for patients with diabetes.
  • The syrup masks the unpleasant taste and smell of medicinal agents better than elixir, whereas elixir masks the flavor of medicinal agents less effectively.
  • The syrup is less stable than the elixir, whereas the elixir is more stable than syrup.
  • The syrup can difficult to formulate than elixirs, whereas elixir can easy to formulate than syrups.
Syrup vs Elixir
Difference between syrup and elixir


The similarity between elixir and syrup:

The major similarity between elixir and syrup is that both are sweet liquid preparations meant to be taken orally for medicinal or non-medicinal purposes.


Commonly asked questions on elixir and syrup are as follows.

Why are syrups preferred particularly for children instead of alcoholic vehicles like elixirs?
Syrups, rather than elixirs, are favored by children because they have a sweet taste and contain no or very little alcohol.

Why are elixirs more stable than syrups?
Being elixir alcohol and water-based formulation they are more stable than syrups which are sugar-based formulations.
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