In the field of pharmacy, empty capsules, as a common drug carrier, are widely used in various drugs. However, did you know that empty capsules are also divided into SLS-containing and SLS-free? This article will reveal the differences between the SLS capsules and SLS-free capsules.

Firstly, let's look at SLS. SLS, or sodium lauryl sulfate, is a common surfactant. Its role in empty capsules is mainly to help the drug disintegrate rapidly in the stomach acid environment and improve the absorption rate of the drug. So, what is the differences between empty capsules containing SLS and empty capsules without SLS?
1. Disintegration Speed

SLS-containing empty capsules can disintegrate rapidly in the acidic environment of the stomach, so that the drug is released faster, thereby improving the absorption rate of the drug. Empty capsules that did not contain SLS disintegrated relatively slowly, and the drug release rate was also slower. This means that when it comes to treating diseases, empty capsules containing SLS may have a faster onset of action.

2. Drug Absorption

Because the SLS-containing empty capsules can disintegrate rapidly, the solubility of the drug in gastric acid is improved, which is conducive to the drug molecules entering the blood circulation through the gastric mucosa, thus improving the bioavailability of the drug. However, the drug absorption rate of empty capsules without SLS may be affected, and the bioavailability is relatively low.

3. Security
SLS, as a surfactant, helps drug absorption to a certain extent, but excessive use may have adverse effects on the human body. Some patients may be allergic to SLS, and the use of empty capsules containing SLS may cause an allergic reaction. Empty capsules that do not contain SLS avoid this problem and are suitable for more people.

4. Application

SLS-containing empty capsules are suitable for drugs that need to act quickly, such as first aid drugs, antipyretic and analgesic drugs. SLS-free empty capsules are suitable for drugs with low disintegrating speed, such as healthcare foods and extracts of traditional Chinese medicine.

5. Production Costs

SLS-containing empty capsules need to add SLS in the production process, and the cost is relatively high. The production process of empty capsules without SLS is simpler and the cost is lower.

In conclusion, there are some differences in disintegration speed, drug absorption, safety, application range and production cost between empty capsules containing SLS and SLS-free capsules. When selecting empty capsules, reasonable choices should be made according to drug characteristics and patient needs. For drugs that need to act quickly, SLS empty capsules are a good choice; For patients with low disintegration speed or allergy to SLS, SLS-free capsules are more suitable.

About HumanwellCaps
Hubei Humanwell Pharmaceutical Excipients Co., Ltd.is a high-tech branch of Humanwell Healthcare Group, specializing in the production of capsules, and with over 20 years of capsules production experience. It is with planned total annual production capacity of 40 billions of empty capsules, currently has 16 imported automatic capsule production lines, and with an annual production capacity of 15 billions of capsules.