Table 4.

Most commonly prescribed medicines (received by >10 patients) containing known to be harmful or potentially harmful excipients

Rank	Active substance, drug formulation	No of prescriptions	Potentially harmful or known to be harmful excipients
1	Gentamicin, inj solution	200	Parabens, sodium metabisulphite
2	Simeticone, oral suspension	108	Sodium benzoate, saccharin sodium, silicium dioxide, sodium cyclamate, sorbic acid
3	Heparin, inj solution	86	Benzyl alcohol, parabens
4	Laurilsulphate + Sorbitol + Sodium citrate, rectal solution	60	Sorbic acid
5	Salbutamol, nebulisation solution	54	Benzalkonium chloride, propylene glycol
6	Dobutamine, inj solution	45	Sodium metabisulphite
7	Epinephrine, inj solution	36	Sodium metabisulphite
8	Iron, oral solution	32	Parabens, saccharin sodium
9	Budesonide, nebulisation solution	31	Polysorbate 80, disodiumedetate
10	Chloramphenicol, opthalmic solution	29	Benzalkonium chloride, polysorbate 80, borax, boric acid
11	Caffeine, solution	29	Sodium benzoate
12	Phenobarbital, tablet	29	Silicium dioxide, gelatin
13	Paracetamol, suppository	29	Disodium hydrogen phosphate
14	Piperacillin + tazobactam, inj solution	25	Disodium edetate
15	Paracetamol, inj solution	24	Disodium hydrogen phosphate
16	Hydrocortisone, inj solution	23	Benzyl alcohol, disodium hydrogen phosphate
17	Epoetin beta, inj solution	22	Disodium hydrogen phosphate, glycine, calcium chloride dihydrate, leucine,
18	Ibuprofen, inj solution	21	Trometamol
19	Hyoscine butylbromide, tablet	20	Silicium dioxide
20	Spironolactone, tablet	18	Silicium dioxide
21	Zidovudine, oral solution	17	Sodium benzoate, saccharin sodium
22	Fusidic acid, ophthalmic solution	16	Benzalkonium chloride, disodium edetate
23	Morphine, inj solution	14	Sodium metabisulphite
24	Phenobarbital, inj solution	13	Benzyl alcohol, propylene glycol
25	Heparin sodium, topical gel	12	Parabens, ethanol, trietanolamine,
26	Insulin, inj solution	11	Cresol

Inj - injection.