EMULSIFYING AGENTS

ACACIA:

For General use with a mortar and pestle,it far surpasses any other agent.Attention was called above to the possibility of water-in-oil (W/O) emulsion being formed accidently with acacia. Powdered acacia should be used for continental emulsion and granular acacia is preferable for making a mucilage of acacia.

TRAGACANTH:

This is not a good emulsifying agent by itself,producing coarse emulsion containing large globules of oil.However,when it is used in conjunction with good emulsifiers,it produces the necessary viscosity to prevent rapid creaming.

AGAR:

Agar is likewise not a good emulsifying agent when used alone,but when it is used with another substance such as acacia ,as in the N.F,Liquid Petrolatum Emulsion with Phenolphthalein,it adds to the perfection of emulsion.

CHONDRUS:

In the form of a heavy mucilage, chondrus is used in the same manner as mucilage of tragacanth. It is not an efficent emulsifying agent for prescription work but has found its greatest use in industry.

EGG YOLK:

This is officially used in preparing an emulsion of cod  liver oil  and produces a splendid emulsion.The emulsion can best be preserved with alcohol.

QUILLAJA:

In the form of tincture,quillija produces very good emulsion with oils.

SOAP:

This has excellent stabilizing powers,the famous emulsions prepared from 1% solution of sodium oleate and 99% of liquid petrolatum.