Is Talc a potential promoter for Hepatocarcinogenisis ?

The pharmaceutical excipients used for oral dosage form have been traditionally assumed as being inert. However, recent studies have shown that they can interact with the active drug ingredient, affecting its dissolution, absorption and bioavailability. Beyond the dosage form necessities, excipients are required to perform important and specific technological functions, particularly in the case of solid dosage forms. As a consequence, their characterisation must go beyond the simple tests for identity, purity and strength as prescribed in general by the Pharmacopoeia monographs.Hence an attempt was made to find out the effect of the most frequently used excipient talc on chemically induced hepatocarcinogenesis (HCC) in Wistar rats with assessment of a marketed anticancer drug Methotrexate (MTX).