FOR PHARMACISTS · SCIENTIFIC COLLECTION 10.0310 monographs · 36 SOPs · 22 forms

CGR-ES-120 / EDITION 10.0

Psyllium seed powder with fructose/maltodextrin — powder for oral suspension

Powder for oral suspension prepared immediately before administration · Spain · AEMPS

2026-10-14Reference document · Local adoption required

REFERENCE FORMULA

Reference formula

Reference basis: Official formula input quantities:100.1 g solids plus 4 drops essential oil; record actual final yield

IngredientSource quantityScaled quantity
Psyllium seed powder (P. afra or P. indica)60 g—
Fructose20 g—
Maltodextrin20 g—
Tartaric acid100 mg—
Ceylon cinnamon essential oil4 drops—

Prerequisite formulations

No separate prerequisite monograph is listed.

Documentation

Preparation description
Dry fine brown mixture of powdered psyllium seeds and carbohydrate excipients, with a small quantity of tartaric acid and flavouring oil. This is not a ready-made aqueous suspension. Exact inputs do not total 100 g; measure actual finished yield. [1]
Action and use
HMPC recognises well-established use of Plantago afra/P. indica seeds for habitual constipation and conditions requiring soft stool. This is seed, not Plantago ovata husk. Dosing is in actual seed grams, converted to final mixture through an approved calculation. Do not carry forward the older formula’s conflicting pediatric instructions or indications of a different husk preparation. [1], [2], [3]
Specifications
Seed powder against RFE/Ph.Eur.0858; fructose 0188, maltodextrin 1542, tartaric acid 0460 and Ceylon cinnamon oil 1501 as source references. Specify identity, homogeneity, no agglomerates, flow, actual yield and appropriate swelling capacity. Source supplies no final pH or aw limit. [1], [2], [3], [4]
Light
Protect dry powder from light, using opaque secondary packaging when necessary. Assess the whole mixture, including the small flavouring fraction; no quantitative photostability study of this exact formula was found. [1], [4]
Air and oxidation
Tight closure limits moisture transfer, dust and volatile-oil odour loss. Avoid prolonged open handling after adding flavour. No oxygen limit or inert atmosphere is specified. [1], [4]
Water and solubility
Swelling mucilage requires fluid at administration; no water is added to the stored powder. HMPC requires at least 30 mL fluid per 1 g seed and adequate daily hydration. Adding water to the entire batch creates a different preparation with no established BUD. [1], [3]
Humidity
Prepare at not above 60% relative humidity; protect from moisture and reclose promptly. Fructose, maltodextrin and mucilage can affect clumping/flow after moisture exposure. Ambient RH is not a product aw measurement. [1], [6]
Temperature
Prepare at 25±5 °C and store below 30 °C. No heating is required; added heating or wet drying is outside this formula. Do not freeze/refrigerate the dry powder without container/condensation assessment. [1], [6]
pH and compatibility
No dry-powder pH is specified. The 100 mg tartaric acid does not establish suspension pH without a defined water quantity and measurement. Do not classify tartaric acid as an antimicrobial preservative. [1], [4]
Other interactions
Psyllium may delay intestinal drug absorption: separate by at least ½–1 hour from other oral medicines. Thyroid hormones, antidiabetic therapy and medicines inhibiting peristalsis require specific review. Replacing seed with P. ovata husk is not equivalent. [3]
Ingredient-specific information
P. afra or P. indica: mature dried seed powder containing mucilage polysaccharides. Fructose and maltodextrin are declared carbohydrate excipients; review maltodextrin source/quality and hereditary fructose intolerance. Distribute the small tartaric-acid fraction uniformly. Use pharmacopoeial Ceylon cinnamon oil, not an arbitrary commercial flavour. [1], [2], [3], [4], [7]
Staff protection
Inhaled psyllium powder can cause occupational sensitisation and serious reactions. Use controlled extraction/enclosed handling, gloves, clothing and appropriate respiratory protection based on exposure assessment. Avoid open sieve shaking, compressed air and dry sweeping. Sensitised staff must avoid exposure. [1], [3], [6]
Risk assessment
Critical risks are allergenic powder, anaphylaxis, choking and oesophageal/intestinal obstruction when taken with insufficient fluid. Contraindications include swallowing disorders, narrowing/obstruction, megacolon, unexplained bleeding or unexplained altered bowel habits. Diabetes and thyroid treatment require supervision. Additional risks are variable final yield, unspecified flavour drops, inaccurate scoop and fructose exposure. Because it contains fructose, patients with hereditary fructose intolerance should not take the product. [1], [3], [4], [7]
Compounding conditions
Use fully dry equipment. Separately weigh 60 g seed, 20 g fructose, 20 g maltodextrin and 0.100 g tartaric acid; add 4 drops of defined oil. Do not subtract 0.1 g excipient to force an artificial 100-g total. Record drop system, recovery, actual yield and calculation of seed content per administered unit.

Recovered mass alone does not establish the final seed fraction. Do not divide the initial 60 g by a lower recovered yield: nonselective homogeneous losses remove botanical material as well and preserve the initial mass fraction. Dose conversion requires exact total inputs including documented oil-drop mass, and an approved mass balance/representative quantitative confirmation of composition. [1], [3], [6]
BUD rationale
The official source gives 3 months for dry powder below 30 °C, protected from light/moisture. Use a register ceiling of 89 days, not exceeding 3 calendar months or the earliest ingredient expiry. This is an official-formula period; no matching exact-formula/container study or measured aw was found. Do not automatically select 180 days merely because the product appears dry. Consume the individual reconstituted dose immediately and do not store it. Different oil, quantities, container or premixed liquid requires new evidence.

The 89 days are only a conditional source reference period for dry powder. No operational batch date is assigned before approval of actual composition, drop system, recovery mass balance and dose conversion. Editorial convention: calendar-month source periods are retained as calendar periods; the calendar-period conversion ceiling is 28 days for one month or 89 days for three months; a separately selected shorter ceiling still governs. It is a conservative conversion, not a source quotation. [1], [4], [5]
Prerequisites
Local SOPs for botanical identity, weighing, sieving, powder blending, allergen control, cleaning and labelling. Add no prepared oral vehicle. The 4-drop operation needs an identified dispenser; automatic proportional scaling is unavailable without an acceptable volumetric/gravimetric basis. [1], [3], [6]
Equipment
Calibrated balances for bulk quantities and 100 mg acid, 355-µm sieve, dry enclosed small mixer or mortar, spatulas, defined dropper and appropriate container. Supply requires a dosing device with verified delivered mixture mass. [1], [6]
Compounding method
1. Identify seed material and sieve dry powder through 355 µm with dust controls. 2. Break fructose/maltodextrin agglomerates. 3. Predisperse the small acid/flavour fractions in part of the excipient, then combine all components in a dry system. 4. Source mixing time is 15–30 minutes according to batch size; verify uniformity. 5. Weigh recovery, test and package. Add no water or additional solvent to the stored blend; add only the specified four drops of identified cinnamon oil. [1], [6]
Observations
Recovered mass alone does not establish the final seed fraction. Do not divide the initial 60 g by a lower recovered yield: nonselective homogeneous losses remove botanical material as well and preserve the initial mass fraction. Dose conversion requires exact total inputs including documented oil-drop mass, and an approved mass balance/representative quantitative confirmation of composition. [1], [3]
Container and packaging
Pharmaceutical wide-mouth bottle with tight closure and suitable moisture barrier. Source does not specify container material. Provide light protection and a separate dry dosing device; unit-dose sachets are a distinct implementation requiring filling documentation. [1], [4]
Quality control
Verify species/plant part and pharmacopoeial quality. Check appearance, clumping, actual mass, representative-sample homogeneity and mass delivered by the dosing device. Swelling/mucilage behaviour, moisture and microbiological quality are relevant controls. The source gives no pH, aw or numerical final-blend-uniformity limits; define them in an approved specification. [1], [2], [3], [4], [6]
Storage
Store dry blend below 30 °C, away from light/moisture, reclose immediately. Use a dry scoop/device. Do not store the reconstituted suspension. Investigate changed flow, clumping, moisture or unusual odour. [1], [4]
Dispensing
The professional specifies individual actual seed grams and corresponding mixture mass. Mix the dose in suitable fluid and drink immediately, with at least 30 mL fluid per g seed. Never swallow dry powder or take immediately before bed. Separate ½–1 hour from other medicines. HMPC does not recommend use under 6; verify swallowing ability and hydration. Seek advice if constipation persists 3 days or pain/vomiting occurs. [3]
Labelling
Psyllium (P. afra/P. indica) — powder for oral suspension. Dose:____ g mixture, equivalent to____ g seed by approved calculation. Mix and drink immediately with at least 30 mL fluid per g seed. Do not swallow dry. Contains fructose/maltodextrin and cinnamon essential oil. Below 30 °C; protect from light/moisture. Batch____. Prepared____. Use by____. Keep out of children’s reach. Do not use in hereditary fructose intolerance. [1], [3], [7]
v9_controls
The numeric value is a literature reference ceiling subject to its specific conditions. No actual batch BUD has been assigned and no aw measurements have been produced. The exact formula, prerequisites, container, storage and quality evidence require approval for the actual application. The BUD clock starts when compounding begins. Use the shortest applicable supported limit and assess in-use dating separately. USP categories are a technical framework and are not presented as Greek legislation.

Independent Greek/English scientific synthesis crediting AEMPS with supporting evidence. This is not an official translation, marketing authorisation or publisher endorsement. Stasinos Chr.Sikalias — compounding.gr.

Sources and references

  1. AEMPS Formulario Nacional — FN/2003/POF/015 SEMILLA DE ZARAGATONA, POLVO PARA SUSPENSIÓN ORAL DESource code FN/2003; current standalone official PDF retrieved 13 October 2026PDF pp.2–4; sections 3–12Exact master formula, process, storage, source validity period; older clinical details reassessed using reference 32026-10-14
  2. AEMPS Formulario Nacional — FN/2003/PAF/015 ZARAGATONA, SEMILLA DESource code FN/2003; official standalone PDF retrieved 13 October 2026PDF p.2–3; identity, composition, raw-material specification and handlingBotanical raw-material identity and source-era specifications; current pharmacopoeial specification must be consulted before acceptance2026-10-14
  3. EMA/HMPC — European Union/Community herbal monograph on Plantago afra L. et Plantago indica L., semen14 May 2013; EMA/HMPC/599747/2012PDF pp.3–11; preparation categories, sections 4.1–4.8Current adopted regulator monograph for specific plant part and preparation; not approval of this compounded product or product-specific stability evidence2026-10-13
  4. EMA — Guideline on quality of herbal medicinal products/traditional herbal medicinal products, revision 318 January 2022; EMA/HMPC/CHMP/CVMP/201116/2005 Rev.3PDF pp.9–10 and 12–16; sections 5.1,7,8Identity, contaminants, justified specifications, chromatographic fingerprint and multi-component stability principles; numerical shelf life not supplied2026-10-13
  5. USP Compounding Expert Committee — USP Compounding Webinar, NABP public handout14 September 2023; primary-author public educational handoutPDF pp.10–11, slides 19–22General aw-dependent BUD framework comparator; not full licensed USP795 text, Greek law, or measured stability/aw for this formulation2026-10-13
  6. AEMPS — PN/L/OF/002/00 Mezclado de polvosPN/L/OF/002/00; current official PDF reviewed 2026-10-13PDF pp.3–5; environment, mixing and cleaningPowder blending, cross-contamination prevention, equipment and complete drying2026-10-13
  7. EMA — Annex to European Commission excipient labelling guideline, Revision 5SANTE-2017-11668, Revision 5; published 5 December 2025English worksheet, rows 47–50: fructose declaration, exposure and hereditary fructose intoleranceCurrent fructose labelling/clinical precautions; not a product-specific BUD or efficacy approval2026-10-13
  8. USP — General Chapter <795> Frequently Asked QuestionsNovember 1, 2023 FAQ; rechecked 14 October 2026Questions 52, 54–56, 61, 64–66General category/extension rules only; not exact-product stability evidence.2026-10-14