Microcrystalline Cellulose (MCC) – An Overview

[Ankit Pulps and Boards Pvt. Ltd.]

Highly purified wood cellulose is used to create MCC. The microcrystalline form of cellulose can only be removed through hydrolysis. The inert, white, free-flowing powder remains after the amorphous cellulose portions have been removed. Reactive extrusion, steam explosion, and acid hydrolysis can all be used to process it.
Microcrystalline Cellulose (MCC) has a long and fascinating history (MCC)
The late 19th century saw the invention of the term hydro cellulose. Although it's often referred to as the oldest polymer, it didn't enter the pharmaceutical industry until the 1950s, and manufacturers only discovered new applications for it in the 1960s. Battista and Smith discovered MCC in 1955, and it went on the market under the brand name MCC. It's hard to imagine the pharmaceutical industry without Avicel.
It usedmicrocrystalline cellulose in food production, compact pellets, and improved flour texture. Hard and heat resistant, it was perfect. It became a popular structural material for its ability to withstand the harshness of an oxyacetylene torch. Researchers began producing cellulose derivatives in colloidal form during the same period. To make microcrystals from fibrous particles, they used acid hydrolysis. The pharmaceutical industry has long relied on cellulose as a binder, but new processing techniques enhance its capabilities.
Areas of the Pharmaceutical Industry
Among the many cellulose derivatives, MCC is the most useful pharmaceutical application. Wet and dry manufacturing processes can benefit from using this binder. MCC is essential for cellulose in liquid dosage forms because of its thickening and viscosity properties. For the production of silicide and second-generation grades, grades with larger particle sizes and higher crystallization work well with colloidal silicon dioxide. It is used in bioadhesive drug delivery systems because microcrystalline cellulose is an excellent bioadhesive.
Facts to Know About MCC
MCC is a common texturizer in cosmetics and an anti-caking agent in the processed food industry. It's a hydroswelling wood pulp that has been refined to a high degree. Reactive extrusion, ultrasonication, and steam explosion can all be used to make it. It has recently established itself as a player in the 3D printing market. The pharmaceutical industry has referred to it as an "inexhaustible treasure" because it can be used in many ways. Direct compression of oral dosage forms is the most straightforward application of this technology. It is easier to maintain a consistent tablet weight because of its remarkable flow.
Direct Compression Grades of High-QualityMCC Cellulose made from microcrystalline fibers
A cellulose's quality can be affected by several factors, including the MCC grade. Anti-caking agent, emulsifier, and fat substitute Avicel PH 101 is the commercial name for MCC 10, also known as Avicel PH 101. Texture and volume are added by using this product. Compression works better with Cellulose MCC.
In addition, they aid in the absorption of vital nutrients. As a standard pharmaceutical excipient, grade 200—excellent lubrication levels—can be achieved by direct compression.
Both 302 and 102 have excellent compressibility and flowability, with the smallest particle size being 101. The bulk density of 302 is lower. Grade 200 has the largest average particle size, but it flows better than any other excipient, making it a favorite in the pharmaceutical sector. The smallest possible particle size is 105.