Starch

Starch is a polysaccharide carbohydrate consisting of a large number of glucose units joined together by
glycosidic bonds. Starch is produced by all green plants as an energy store. It is the most important
carbohydrate in the human diet and is contained in such staple foods as rice, wheat, maize (corn), potatoes
and cassava. It is composed of two chain one is linear chain made up glucose unit linked each other by α (1-
4) glycosidic linkage and one branched chain composed of glucose units α(1-4) glycosidic linkage and
chains are interconnected by α(1-6) glycosidic linkage.

¾ Starch is used as an excipient primarily in oral solid-dosage formulations where it is utilized as a binder,
diluent, and disintegrant.
¾ As a diluent, starch is used for the preparation of standardized triturates of colorants or potent drugs to
facilitate subsequent mixing or blending processes in manufacturing operations. Starch is also used in
dry-filled capsule formulations for volume adjustment of the fill matrix.
¾ In tablet formulations, freshly prepared starch paste is used at a concentration of 5–25% w/w in tablet
granulations as a binder. Selection of the quantity required in a given system is determined by
optimization studies, using parameters such as granule friability, tablet friability, hardness, disintegration
rate, and drug dissolution rate.
¾ Starch is one of the most commonly used tablet disintegrants at concentrations of 3–15% w/w.

Cellulose

Cellulose is a polysaccharide made up of glucose units linked to each other by β(1-4) glycosidic linkage
¾ Microcrystalline cellulose is widely used in pharmaceuticals, primarily as a binder/diluent in oral tablet and
capsule formulations where it is used in both wet-granulation and direct-compression processes. In
addition to its use as a binder/diluent, microcrystalline cellulose also has some lubricant and disintegrant
properties that make it useful in tableting.
¾ Powdered cellulose is used as tablet diluent and hard gelatin capsule filler.
¾ In soft gelatin capsules, powdered cellulose may be used to reduce the sedimentation rate of oily
suspension fills. It is also used as the powder base material of powder dosage forms, and as a
suspending agent in aqueous suspensions for peroral delivery. It may also be used to reduce
sedimentation during the manufacture of suppositories.
¾ Carboxy methyl cellulose (CMC), derivatives of cellulose is used in tablet formulations as binder, diluent,
and disintegrant. Carboxy methyl cellulose is also used as a suspending or viscosity-increasing agent in
oral and topical pharmaceutical formulations.
¾ Carboxy methyl cellulose sodium is additionally one of the main ingredients of self adhesive wound care
and dermatological patches, where it is used as a muco-adhesive and to absorb wound exudate or trans-
epidermal water and sweat. This mucoadhesive property is used in products designed to prevent post-
surgical tissue adhesions and to localize and modify the release kinetics of active ingredients applied to
mucous membranes. Encapsulation with carboxymethylcellulose sodium can affect drug protection and
delivery.
¾ Carboxy methylcellulose sodium is also used in cosmetics, toiletries, surgical prosthetics and personal
hygiene, and food products.
¾ In oral products, hydroxypropyl cellulose is primarily used in tableting as a binder, film-coating, and
extended-release matrix former. Concentrations of hydroxypropyl cellulose of 2–6% w/w may be used as
a binder in either wet-granulation or dry, direct-compression tableting processes. Concentrations of 15–
35% w/w of hydroxypropyl cellulose may be used to produce tablets with an extended drug release.
Hydroxypropyl cellulose is also used in microencapsulation processes and as a thickening agent. In
topical formulations, hydroxypropyl cellulose is used in transdermal patches and ophthalmic preparations.
Hydroxypropyl cellulose is also used in cosmetics and in food products as an emulsifier and stabilizer.
¾ Hydroxy propyl methyl cellulose (HPMC) is used as polymer for preparation of sustained release dosage
form.

Santanu Sannigrahi, Asst. Professor 
santanuin@rediffmail.com 
 
 Glucose

¾ Glucose is the most abundant carbohydrate, found both in plants and animals.
¾ Glucose is a basic energy source for many of the body's operations. It is used for most bodily
processes, including cellular respiration, food digestion, and the production of ATP.
¾ Liquid glucose is used as a base in oral solutions and syrups and also as a granulating and coating
agent in tablet manufacture.
¾ Liquid glucose is also used as sweetener in confectionery products.

Lactose

¾ Anhydrous lactose is widely used in direct compression tableting applications and as a tablet and
capsule filler and binder. Anhydrous lactose can be used with moisture-sensitive drugs due to its low
moisture content.
¾ Lactose monohydrate is used as a filler or diluent in tablets and capsules. It is also used to prepare
direct compression tablet.

Sucrose
¾ Sucrose syrup, containing 50–67% w/w sucrose, is used in tableting as a binding agent for wet
granulation. In the powdered form, sucrose serves as a dry binder (2–20% w/w) or as a bulking
agent.
¾ Sucrose is used as sweetener in chewable tablets and lozenges. Tablets that contain large amounts
of sucrose may harden to give poor disintegration.
¾ Sucrose syrups are used as tablet-coating agents at concentrations between 50% and 67% w/w. With
higher concentrations, partial inversion of sucrose occurs, which makes sugar coating difficult.
¾ Sucrose syrups are also widely used as vehicles in oral liquid dosage forms to enhance palatability or
to increase viscosity.

Sorbitol
¾ Sorbitol is used as a diluent in tablet formulations prepared by either wet granulation or direct
compression. It is particularly useful in chewable tablets owing to its pleasant, sweet taste and cooling
sensation. In capsule formulations it is used as a plasticizer for gelatin.
¾ Sorbitol has been used as a plasticizer in different cosmetics and toothpaste.
¾ In liquid preparations sorbitol is used as a vehicle in sugar free formulations and as a stabilizer for
drug, vitamin and antacid suspensions.
¾ In syrups it is effective in preventing crystallization around the cap of bottles.
¾ Sorbitol is therapeutically used as an osmotic laxative.
¾ Sorbitol may also be used analytically as a marker for assessing liver blood flow.

Mannitol
¾ Mannitol is widely used in pharmaceutical formulations and food products. In pharmaceutical
preparations it is primarily used as a diluent (10–90% w/w) in tablet formulations, where it is of
particular value since it is not hygroscopic and may thus be used with moisture-sensitive active
ingredients.
¾ Mannitol may be used in direct-compression tablet applications for which the granular and spray-dried
forms are available, or in wet granulations. Specific tablet applications include antacid preparations,
glyceryl trinitrate tablets, and vitamin preparations.
¾ Mannitol is commonly used as an excipient in the manufacture of chewable tablet formulations
because of its sweetness.
¾ Mannitol has also been used to prevent thickening in aqueous antacid suspensions of aluminum
hydroxide (<7% w/v).
Santanu Sannigrahi, Asst. Professor 
santanuin@rediffmail.com 
 
 ¾ It has been suggested as a plasticizer in soft-gelatin capsules, as a component of sustained-release
tablet formulations.
¾ It is also used as a diluent in rapidly dispersing oral dosage forms.
¾ Therapeutically, mannitol administered parenterally is used as an osmotic diuretic, as a diagnostic
agent for kidney function, as an adjunct in the treatment of acute renal failure, and as an agent to
reduce intracranial pressure, treat cerebral edema, and reduce intraocular pressure.
¾ Mannitol when given orally is not absorbed significantly from the GI tract, but in large doses it can
cause osmotic diarrhea

Santanu Sannigrahi, Asst. Professor 
santanuin@rediffmail.com