Identification and characterization of pharmaceuticals using Raman and surface-enhanced Raman scattering

Many recent papers reflect ongoing research and development concerning pharmaceutical applications of Raman techniques. This short review highlights different Raman techniques (dispersive, Fourier transform, resonance Raman, SERS, SERRS, FT-SERS) employed in pharmaceutical investigations. Several Raman applications such as fundamental structural investigations, quantitative analysis, drug-excipient interaction, formulation, limit of detection, pH-dependent pharmaceutical species, adsorption geometry at a given surface and functional groups involved in adsorption for several widely used pharmaceutical compounds are presented. Copyright (C) 2004 John Wiley Sons, Ltd.