Nandita Bhowmik¹*, Rajib Das², Abhoy Roy³, Jhumpa Debnath⁴ and Sabir Hussain⁵

¹Office of the Deputy Drugs Controller, PN Complex, Gurkhabasti, Agartala, Tripura, 799006, India
²Regional Institute of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Abhoynagar, Agartala, West Tripura, India
³Gate Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ramapuram, Chilkur, Kodad, Telangana – 508206, India
⁴Bir Bikram College of Pharmacy, Khayerpur, Dalura, Agartala, West Tripura, India
⁵School of Pharmacy, Himalayan University, Itanagar, Arunachal Pradesh, India

*Corresponding Author: Nandita Bhowmik, M. Pharm, Pharmacist, Office of the Deputy Drugs Controller, PN Complex, Gurkhabasti, Agartala, Tripura, 799006, India.

Received: September 11, 2025; Published: October 30, 2025

Abstract

Medications come in a wide variety of colors and shapes, which are often overlooked as simply being for looks. The visual design of pharmaceuticals, particularly the use of different vibrant colors and shapes, is essential for ensuring that patients adhere to their medication regimen, distinguishing one brand from another, and influencing how effective people believe the medications to be. The main purpose of using bright colors and unique shapes is to give pharmaceutical dosage forms a distinct appearance. Various pharmaceutical preparations, such as tablets, tablet coatings, hard and soft gelatin capsules, liquid oral medications, dental pastes, ointments, and creams, among others, require specific coloring and shapes. The examination of colors' impact on patient adherence, psychological effects, and brand identity is accompanied by the importance of pill shape for ease of swallowing, dosage accuracy, and product recognition. Technological advancements, including 3D printing (3DP), are broadening the scope for innovative drug designs. Regulatory considerations by organizations such as the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) and EMA (European Medicines Agency) guarantee that these designs maintain safety and efficacy while addressing challenges and limitations. This review article initially highlighted on the comprehensive overview of the basic of fancy colour and shapes in pharmaceuticals, their emerging application including their importance and significance in the pharmaceutical drug design. Intermediately describes the technology advancements regarding the design of medicines. Lastly well explained the regulatory aspects related to the colours and shapes for the drug design with their several future prospects.

Keywords: Shapes; Colour; Pharmaceuticals; Whimsy; Drug Design; Formulations; Medications; Drug Diversity; Developments; Pharmacy

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Citation

Citation: Nandita Bhowmik., et al. “Fancy Colours and Shapes in Pharmaceuticals: A Comprehensive Review". Acta Scientific Pharmaceutical Sciences 9.11 (2025): 67-77.

Copyright

Copyright: © 2025 Nandita Bhowmik., et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.