Sustained-release and controlled-release preparations: Cellulose ethers such as HPMC (hydroxypropyl methylcellulose) are often used as hydrogel skeleton materials in sustained-release preparations. It can control the release rate of drugs in the human body to achieve therapeutic effects. Low-viscosity grade HPMC can be used as an adhesive, thickener and suspending agent, while high-viscosity grade HPMC is used to prepare mixed material skeleton sustained-release tablets, sustained-release capsules, and hydrophilic gel skeleton sustained-release tablets.
Coating film-forming agent: HPMC has good film-forming properties, and the film formed is uniform, transparent, tough, and not easy to adhere. It can improve the stability of the drug and prevent discoloration. The common concentration of HPMC is 2% to 10%.
Pharmaceutical excipients: Cellulose ethers play an important role in preparation molding as pharmaceutical excipients, such as sustained-release pellets, skeleton sustained-release preparations, coated sustained-release preparations, sustained-release capsules, sustained-release drug films, resin drug sustained-release preparations and liquid sustained-release preparations.
Microcrystalline Cellulose (MCC): MCC is a form of cellulose that is widely used in the pharmaceutical industry, especially in direct compression and dry granulation processes such as roller compaction to prepare compressed tablets or granules.
Bioadhesives: Cellulose ethers, especially nonionic and anionic ether derivatives such as EC (ethylcellulose), HEC (hydroxyethylcellulose), HPC (hydroxypropylcellulose), MC (methylcellulose), CMC (carboxymethylcellulose) or HPMC (hydroxypropylmethylcellulose) are widely used in bioadhesives. These polymers can be used in oral, ocular, vaginal and transdermal bioadhesives, alone or in combination with other polymers.
Thickeners and Stabilizers: Cellulose derivatives are widely used to thicken drug solutions and dispersion systems such as emulsions and suspensions. These polymers can increase the viscosity of non-aqueous drug solutions such as organic-based coating solutions. Increasing the viscosity of drug solutions can improve the bioavailability of topical and mucosal preparations.
Fillers: Cellulose and its derivatives are commonly used as fillers in solid dosage forms such as tablets and capsules. They are compatible with most other excipients, pharmacologically inert, and not digested by human gastrointestinal enzymes.
Binders: Cellulose ethers are used as binders during the granulation process to help the granules form and maintain their integrity.
Plant capsules: Cellulose ethers are also used to make plant capsules, an environmentally friendly alternative to traditional animal-derived capsules.
Drug delivery systems: Cellulose ethers can be used to develop a variety of drug delivery systems, including controlled-release and delayed-release systems, as well as systems for site-specific or time-specific release of drugs.
The application of cellulose ethers in the pharmaceutical industry continues to expand, and with the development of new dosage forms and new excipients, the scale of its market demand is expected to expand further.