Monograph: |
Aluminium Magnesium Silicate
A hydrated native colloidal saponite freed from gritty parti-
cles. It is an odourless or almost odourless, creamy-white
powder or small flakes. Practically insoluble in water and al-
cohol; swells to form a colloidal dispersion in water and glyc-
crol; practically insoluble in organic solvents. A dispersion in
water (4 or 5%) has a pH of about 9.0.
The USNF describes several types with varying ranges of alu-
minium magnesium content and varying viscosity ranges for
dispersions of approximately 5%.
Store in airtight containers.
Uses
Aluminium magnesium silicate has a variety of pharmaceuti-
cal uses, including use as a suspending and thickening agent,
as an emulsion stabiliser, and as a binder and disintegrating
agent in tablets.
Other forms of aluminium magnesium silicate include an ar-
tificial hydrate known as almasilate , which is used as
an antacid, and attapulgite , a purified native hydrat-
ed magnesium aluminium silicate that is highly adsorbent and
is used in a wide range of products including fertilisers and
pesticides. Activated attapulgite. which is attapulgite that has
been carefully heated to increase its adsorptive capacity, is
used in combination preparations for diarrhoea.
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