Physicochemical Characterization of Native Cellulose and Microcrystalline Cellulose from Enset Fiber and Evaluation of Microcrystalline Cellulose as Directly Compressible Excipient
No Thumbnail Available
Date
2019-07
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Addis Ababa University
Abstract
Cellulose is naturally occurring polymer on earth and it is obtained from wood, cotton, agricultural residues and different fibrous plants. Enset (Ensete ventricosum) is a plant indigenous to Ethiopia. It is serves as food, forage, fiber and medicinal uses. Enset fiber is a rich source of cellulose. The aim of this study was to extract and characterize native cellulose and microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) from enset fiber and evaluate MCC as directly compressible excipient. Cellulose was extracted by using formic acid/acetic acid (at 70:30 ratio). Different enset fiber MCCs were prepared by using hydrochloric acid. The proximate yield of enset fiber cellulose (Ef-C) and enset fiber microcrystalline cellulose (Ef-MCC) were found to be 56.97% and 65.42-82%, respectively. The degree of polymerization (DP) of Ef-MCC powders were less than 350. Fourier Transform Infra-red spectra (FT-IR) of Ef-MCCs indicated the typical absorption peaks of cellulose.
The physicochemical studies of Ef-MCCs revealed, moisture content of <7% w/w, bulk densities 0.24, 0.33 and 0.27 gm/cm3 for oven dried Ef-MCC (Ef-MCC-od), mechanically agitated oven dried Ef-MCC (Ef-MCC-mod) and spray dried Ef-MCC (Ef-MCC-sd), respectively. Ash value (0.03), pH (6.76), water soluble substances (0.17%) and ether soluble substances (0.046%) of Ef-MCCs were all within the allowable limit of USP 30/NF 25.
Laser diffraction studies showed that Ef-MCCs had normal size (log) distribution with a mean particle size ranging between 57-79 μm. Crystallinity index (CrI) of Ef-C was 78.5% while the CrI of Ef-MCCs was 85-89%. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) also showed Ef-MCC had little aggregates of particles, rod-shaped, rough surface morphology and shorter fiber strands.
Ef-MCC-mod successfully accommodated 50% paracetamol whereas Ef-MCC-sd up to 65%. Disintegration time and invitro drug release of paracetamol tablets were also within USP 30/NF 25 specification. EF-MCCs, especially, Ef-MCC-sd can be considered as a potential alternative excipient since they exhibited similar characteristics with Avicel PH101.
Description
Keywords
Cellulose, Dilution potential, Enset, Enset fiber, Microcrystalline cellulose.