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What Are the Ingredients in Tamiflu?

Tamiflu is an oral tablet containing a number of active and inactive ingredients. The purpose behind the drug is to help fight off the virus that causes influenza. Tamiflu is designed for patients over the age of 1 and who are exhibiting symptoms for no more than two days. However, certain individuals may have allergies to some of the ingredients, prompting physicians to take care when administering the drug.

  1. Active Ingredients

    • The active ingredient that makes Tamiflu work is oseltamivir phosphate. It is a white crystalline solid composed of carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen and oxygen.

    Inactive Ingredients

    • Inactive ingredients in Tamiflu include croscarmellose sodium, povidone K 30, pregelatinized starch, sodium stearyl fumarate, and talc.

    Coating

    • The capsule itself varies in its ingredients depending on the size. The 30 mg, 45 mg, and 75 mg tablets each contain gelatin and titanium dioxide, while different combinations of yellow, red, and black iron oxide are used.

    Labeling

    • The labeling of each capsule is printed with a blue ink. This ink contains FD&C Blue No. 2, a coloring agent that is considered edible by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

    Additional Ingredients

    • To maintain the full consistency of the powder in the pill, a combination of different materials are used. These include suspension agents and flavorings such as monosodium citrate, saccharin sodium, sodium benzoate, sorbitol, titanium dioxide, and tutti-frutti flavorings.

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