An Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient (API) is the principal component of a medication that produces its intended effect
. APIs are chemical-based compounds that are mainly produced in countries like the USA, Europe, China, and India
. They are used in various forms, such as capsules, tablets, injectables, and more, to treat, diagnose, mitigate, and cure diseases
. APIs are produced by processing chemical compounds and can be classified into two types: synthetic and natural
. Synthetic APIs are further divided into innovative and generic synthetic APIs, based on the type of synthesis used
. In the pharmaceutical industry, APIs are one of the two main ingredients in medicine, along with excipients
. Drug manufacturers create medicines by mixing APIs and pharmaceutical excipients
. APIs are essential for the production of finished formulations, which are the final products used by patients
. The manufacturing process of APIs involves several intermediates and purification steps to reach a high degree of purity
. The quality of an API plays a crucial role in determining the quality of the final medicine, and APIs must meet strict quality criteria to be used in medicines
