Microcrystalline Cellulose as Pharmaceutical Excipient

Microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) is a pure partially depolymerized cellulose synthesized from α-cellulose precursor (type Iβ), obtained as a pulp from fibrous plant material, with mineral acids using hydrochloric acid to reduce the degree of polymerization. The MCC can be synthesized by different processes such as reactive extrusion, enzyme mediated, steam explosion, and acid hydrolysis. It is commonly manufactured by spray-drying the neutralized aqueous slurry of hydrolyzed cellulose. The MCC is a valuable additive in pharmaceutical, food, cosmetic, and other industries. MMC obtained from different sources will differ considerably in chemical composition, structural organization, and physicochemical properties (crystallinity, moisture content, surface area and porous structure, molecular weight, etc.). The high demand of microcrystalline cellulose used in pharmaceutical industries has led to the utilization of locally and naturally occurring materials in the production of microcrystalline cellulose. Many studies on the physicochemical properties of locally produced MCC derived from natural sources have been extensively evaluated in the development of a new natural source for MCC as a substitution of wood, the most abundant one.