Hydroxypropyl cellulose
Hydroxypropyl Cellulose
Hydroxypropyl cellulose (pronunciation: hy-drox-ee-proh-pil sel-yuh-lohs) is a derivative of cellulose, the most abundant organic polymer on Earth. It is a white or slightly yellowish, odorless and tasteless powder.
Etymology
The term "Hydroxypropyl cellulose" is derived from its chemical structure. "Hydroxypropyl" refers to the hydroxypropyl groups (-CH2CHOHCH3) attached to the cellulose backbone, and "cellulose" is a polysaccharide consisting of a linear chain of several hundred to many thousands of β(1→4) linked D-glucose units.
Usage
Hydroxypropyl cellulose is widely used in the pharmaceutical industry as an excipient, a substance formulated alongside the active ingredient of a medication. It is also used in food products as a stabilizer, thickener, and emulsifier, and in the production of lacquers, adhesives, and cosmetics.
Related Terms
- Cellulose: A complex carbohydrate that forms the primary structural component of green plants, many forms of algae, and the oomycetes.
- Excipient: A substance formulated alongside the active ingredient of a medication, included for the purpose of long-term stabilization, bulking up solid formulations that contain potent active ingredients in small amounts, or to confer a therapeutic enhancement on the active ingredient in the final dosage form.
- Polymer: A large molecule, or macromolecule, composed of many repeated subunits, known as monomers.
See Also
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Hydroxypropyl cellulose
- Wikipedia's article - Hydroxypropyl cellulose
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