Chemical
pharmaceutical adjuvant
phar·ma·ceu·ti·cal ad·ju·vant
Definitions related to pharmaceutical adjuvants:
  • (adjuvant) An agent that enhances the activity or therapeutic effect of another pharmacologic substance without having much, if any, therapeutic impact by itself.
    NCI
    U.S. National Cancer Institute, 2021
  • (adjuvant) An ingredient which augments or promotes the pharmacological effect of the active ingredient(s) without itself being considered active (note that adjuvants are used only with vaccines).
    U.S. FDA Glossary
    U.S. Food & Drug Administration, 2021
  • (adjuvants, pharmaceutic) Agents that aid or increase the action of the principle drug (DRUG SYNERGISM) or that affect the absorption, mechanism of action, metabolism, or excretion of the primary drug (PHARMACOKINETICS) in such a way as to enhance its effects.
    NLM Medical Subject Headings
    U.S. National Library of Medicine, 2025
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