An ingredient which is not considered therapeutically active, e.g., colors, flavors, stabilizers, or preservatives, fillers, or structural components added to an active ingredient in order to facilitate administration of the active ingredient but without being considered therapeutically active. An inactive ingredient need not be biologically inert, e.g., might be active as an allergen or might have a pleasant taste, but is not an essential constituent delivering the therapeutic effect.

A substance (player) influencing the optical aspect of material (scoper).

A substance (player) added to a mixture (scoper) to make it taste a certain way. In food the use is obvious, in pharmaceuticals flavors can hide disgusting taste of the active ingredient (important in pediatric treatments).

A substance (player) added to a mixture (scoper) to prevent microorganisms (fungi, bacteria) to spoil the mixture.

A stabilizer (player) added to a mixture (scoper) in order to prevent the molecular disintegration of the main substance.