Some excipients used in the manufacture of tablets may have an allergenic effect. They may include additives, colourings, yeast, iodine, etc to which an increasing number of people are allergic. Present-day tablet-makers move away from these chemical binders and fillers, using natural alternatives such as vegetable oils, calcium phosphate, acacia gum and alginic acid from seaweeds. The term also refers to products, including herbal preparations made without sugar, starch, salt, wheat, yeast or artificial preservatives: suitable for vegetarians.
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