Excipient (pharmacologically inactive substance)

What is it?

Tartaric acid, C4H6O6, is a white, crystalline, acidic powder that occurs naturally in many plants, including grapes, tamarinds, bananas, and is found in wine. Salts of tartaric acid are known as tartrates, and are often salt forms of medications, for example metoprolol tartrate or zolpidem tartrate. Tartaric acid was first isolated from potassium tartrate. Tartaric acid and derivatives are used widely in pharmaceutical manufacturing. One example is that tartaric acid has been used to make effervescent salts, and when combined with citrate can improve the taste of oral medications.^[1]