Which of the following is NOT an inactive ingredient found in OTC medicines?

• A. Color
• B. Preservatives
• C. Active ingredient
• D. Flavor

Answer: (C)

The key idea is that inactive ingredients don’t treat anything; they help with how the medicine looks, tastes, lasts, or goes down smoothly. The active ingredient, on the other hand, is the part that actually provides the therapeutic effect. In OTC labels, you’ll see the medicine’s therapeutic component listed separately under “Active ingredient,” while substances like color, flavor, and preservatives are listed as inactive ingredients because they don’t contribute to the drug’s medical action. So the item that is not an inactive ingredient is the active ingredient, since that’s the component responsible for the medicine’s effect.