Fosamax, alendronate sodium, is a prescription medication used for the treatment of osteoporosis in postmenopausal women and in men with diminished bone mass. Osteoporosis is a thinning and deterioration of the bones. Using Fosamax can lead to an improvement in bone density after three months of use, as indicated by Merck, the manufacturer of Fosamax. The medication comes in both an oral tablet and oral solution.
Active Ingredient
Both Fosamax tablets and the oral solution contain the active ingredient alendronate sodium. The dose of Fosamax can vary depending on what has been prescribed by the doctor. RxList.com points out that a typical dose is 70 mg taken once per day.
Tablet Inactive Ingredients
In order to form the tablet and to protect the active ingredient before it reaches the stomach, several inactive ingredients are used. These include cellulose, lactose, croscarmellose sodium and magnesium stearate. Together these ingredients make up the tablet form itself. Additional dyes may be used to mark and label the tablet if it has not been imprinted during production.
Oral Solution Inactive Ingredients
The oral solution of Fosamax contains several additional inactive ingredients. These are important in creating a drinkable solution. Merck.com lists the inactive ingredients as sodium citrate, citric acid, sodium saccharin, artificial raspberry flavor, purified water, sodium propylparaben and sodium butylparaben. In addition to giving the solution flavor, these ingredients preserve the active ingredient in this liquid state.
