Oral medicinal plastic bottlesIt's in the drug packagingThe most common type of plastic packaging containerWidely used forPackaging of solid or semi-solid oral preparations such as tablets, capsules, granules, powders, and oral liquids (partially)Its core function isProtecting drugs from external environmental factors such as light, oxygen, moisture, and microorganisms, ensuring the stability, safety, and effectiveness of drugs, while also considering the convenience of use and production economy.

1、 Common materials

　　Oral medicinal plastic bottlesMainly usedPlastic resins with good chemical stability, safety, barrier properties, and processabilityThe commonly used materials include the following categories:

　　1. Polyethylene (PE)

(1) Low density polyethylene (LDPE)

　　featureSoft, resilient, and strong in impact resistance, butPoor barrier properties (such as resistance to water vapor and oxygen)；

　　purpose: Commonly used forOuter packaging, inner lining, and auxiliary packaging of non sealed or low requirement oral solid drugs；

　　deficiencyNot suitable for drugs that are sensitive to humidity and oxygen.

(2) High density polyethylene (HDPE)

　　feature：

　　High mechanical strength, good rigidity, and strong chemical corrosion resistance；

　　Good moisture resistance, but average oxygen barrier properties；

　　Non toxic, odorless, and compliant with food and drug contact safety standards (such as USP<661>, FDA, EU 10/2011)；

　　purpose: is commonly usedMain materials for oral solid medicine bottles (such as tablets, capsules)Suitable for most conventional drugs;

　　Common formsThe bottle body is usuallyWhite or semi transparent, can be colored with color masterbatch or avoid light.

　　2. Polypropylene (PP)

　　feature：

　　High rigidity and good heat resistance (can withstand high temperature sterilization, such as 121 ℃ high temperature disinfection)；

　　Excellent chemical stability and good tolerance to most acids, bases, and solvents；

　　The water vapor barrier is better than PE, but the oxygen barrier is generally average；

　　Non toxic, odorless, in compliance with drug packaging safety standards；

　　purpose: Suitable forDrug packaging that requires high-temperature treatment (such as sterilization) or high chemical stability requirements；

　　appearanceUsually:Translucent to transparent, harder and less prone to deformation than PE；

　　Commonly used for：Child safety bottle cap combination, solid drug packaging for antibiotics and vitamins.

　　3. Polyester (PET, commonly known as PET or PETG)

(1) PET (Polyethylene terephthalate)

　　feature：

　　High transparency, good gloss, and high mechanical strength；

　　The oxygen and water vapor barrier properties are better than PE/PP, but slightly inferior to professional barrier materials；

　　Good chemical resistance, but may release trace substances at high temperatures, posing potential risks to certain drugs；

　　purpose: Commonly used forOral liquid, syrup bottle (transparent appearance), some solid drugs (such as health products)；

　　AttentionPure PET in pharmaceutical packagingThere are certain limitations to use (such as high temperature or long-term storage that may affect stability)More commonly used for over-the-counter drugs or specific dosage forms.

(2) PETG (ethylene glycol modified PET)

　　feature：

　　More impact resistant, easier to process, and better heat sealing than PET；

　　Good transparency, commonly used for medicine bottles that require high transparency appearance；

　　purpose: Commonly used forHealth product bottles, some oral solid drugs, and packaging that requires good appearance and processing performance.

　　4. Polyvinylidene chloride (PVDC) coating or co extruded material (high barrier type)

　　feature：

　　Oxygen and water vapor barrier performanceOften used asBarrier layer in multi-layer co extrusion structure；

　　Used to enhance the barrier performance of ordinary PE/PP/PET bottles and protect drugs sensitive to humidity/oxygen；

　　purpose: Often usedMulti layer composite bottles (such as PE/PVDC/PE) or coating formsapplied toHigh demand drugs (such as certain antibiotics, probiotics, and highly hygroscopic pills)；

　　advantageWithout significantly increasing costs,Significantly extend the shelf life and stability of drugs.

　　5. Multilayer Coextruded Bottles

　　structure: FromCo extruded plastic materials with different functions (such as PE/PP+EVOH/PVDC/PA)Each layer undertakes different functions (such as structural layer, barrier layer, bonding layer);

　　feature：

synthesizableThe advantages of multiple materials (such as the processability of PE and the barrier properties of PVDC)；

　　Enhance the ability to block oxygen, water vapor, and light, and extend the shelf life of drugs；

　　purpose: Suitable forHigh demand oral medications, such as drugs that are prone to oxidation, hygroscopicity, and photosensitivity.

2、 Key Performance Analysis

The performance of oral medicinal plastic bottles needs to meet the requirementsThe safety, functionality, compliance, and ease of use of drug packagingThe main performance indicators include:

　　1. Safety (compliant with drug packaging material standards)

　　Non toxic, odorless, and non migratory: Must comply withUSP<661>(plastic containers) FDA 21 CFR、 EU 10/2011, Chinese YBB standardRegardingSafety requirements for materials in direct contact with drugs；

　　No harmful substance precipitationPlasticizers (such as DEHP), heavy metals, residual monomers, etc. must not migrate into the drug;

　　biocompatibilityNot reacting chemically with drugs, not affecting the stability and efficacy of drugs.

　　2. barrier performance

Barrier object	重要性	Common Material Performance
Water vapor (moisture resistance)​	Prevent drugs from absorbing moisture, deliquescence, and deterioration	HDPE > PP > PET； PVDC/multi-layer structure has better barrier properties
Oxygen (antioxidant)​	Prevent drug oxidation and degradation of active ingredients	PP, PET, PVDC/multi-layer structures have strong barrier properties, while PE has weaker barrier properties
Light (light avoidance)​	Prevent the breakdown of photosensitive drugs (such as vitamin B family and certain antibiotics)	Dark colored bottles (such as brown black PE/PP) or with added light blocking agents; Transparent PET needs to be used in the dark
microorganism​	Prevent external microbial contamination	Indirectly achieved through sealing caps, internal plugs, and barrier materials

✅ ForHigh humidity, high oxygen, photosensitive drugs, often usedLight resistant bottle+high barrier composite material+stable sealing system.

　　3. Physical and mechanical properties

performance	Instructions
impact resistance​	The anti drop and anti rupture ability of the bottle body, especially during transportation and use
Rigidity/Strength​	The bottle body does not deform or collapse, especially PP and PET materials have stronger rigidity
heat resistance​	Can it withstand high temperature sterilization (such as PP can withstand 121 ℃ for sterile packaging)
cold resistance​	Is it brittle at low temperatures (such as PE being more flexible in low temperature environments)

　　4. Processing and Forming Performance

　　Easy injection molding/blow moldingPlastic bottles are usually used throughInjection molding (bottle cap) and blow molding (bottle body) processesManufacturing requires materials with good qualityLiquidity and molding stability；

　　Printable and easy to decorateThe bottle body can be usedScreen printing, heat transfer printing, label pastingUsed to identify drug information;

　　Can be combined with bottle caps, inner plugs, aluminum-plastic composites, etc. to form a complete packaging system.

　　5. Sealing and ease of use

　　Bottle mouth designStandard bottle mouths (such as 13/400, 15/450, 20/400, etc.) are compatible with various bottle caps, measuring cups, droppers, desiccants, etc;

　　sealed systemFrequently cooperateInner plug (PE/PP), aluminum foil sealing, screw cap, child safety coverEnsure the sealing and safe use of drugs;

　　Portable and easy to openThe size, weight, and opening method of the bottle should conform to the usage habits of patients (especially the elderly and children).

3、 Comparison Table of Common Oral Medicinal Plastic Bottle Materials

Material Type	advantage	shortcoming	Applicable drug types
HDPE (High Density Polyethylene)​	Good toughness, excellent moisture resistance, low cost, and high safety	The oxygen barrier properties are generally good	Conventional tablets, capsules, solid drugs
PP (polypropylene)​	Good rigidity, high temperature resistance, and high chemical stability	Slightly poor flexibility and slightly higher price	Antibiotics and drugs that require sterilization
PET / PETG​	High transparency, good appearance, and high strength	Oxygen/water vapor barrier is average, high temperature may be unstable	Health products, some solid medicines, oral liquids
PE+PVDC/multi-layer co extrusion​	Excellent barrier performance (oxygen and moisture resistance)	relatively high cost	High demand drugs (such as probiotics, easily oxidizable drugs)
LDPE​	Soft and impact resistant	Poor barrier properties and low rigidity	Auxiliary packaging, non main medicine bottle

4、 Summary: Common Materials and Performance Points

project	Instructions
Common Materials​	HDPE, PP, PET, PETG, PVDC (coated/co extruded), multi-layer composite plastics
core performance​	Safety (non-toxic, non migratory), barrier properties (oxygen barrier, moisture barrier, light avoidance), mechanical strength, processability, sealing properties
Material selection criteria​	Drug formulation (tablets/capsules/liquids), sensitivity (light/oxygen/humidity), storage conditions, regulatory requirements
development trend​	High barrier, multifunctional composite materials, green and environmentally friendly materials (such as recyclable plastics), intelligent packaging (such as moisture-proof indicators and anti-counterfeiting)

✅ Summary in one sentence:

　　The commonly used materials for oral medicinal plastic bottles include HDPE, PP, PET, PETG, and multi-layer co extruded or barrier coating materials. The selection should comprehensively consider safety, barrier performance, mechanical strength, and regulatory compliance to meet the requirements of different drugs for moisture resistance, oxidation resistance, light avoidance, and stability, ensuring the quality and safety of drugs throughout their entire life cycle.