Agricultural Residues as Pharmaceutical Excipient

Abstract

Excipients development has become a core area of research in pharmaceutical drug delivery. Agricultural residues and natural sources represent a potential source of inexpensive pharmaceutical excipients. Pharmaceutical excipients have vital roles in drug formulations and dosage forms and are used as thickeners, gelling, bulking and water retention agents, fillers, binders, disintegrants, lubricant and/or glidant, flavours and sweeteners. Microcrystalline cellulose (MCC), a very important directly compressible excipient widely used in pharmaceutical formulations has been prepared from various agricultural residues and compared with commercial MCC. Conversion of agricultural residues into pharmaceutical excipients will prevent pollution and also become economically profitable for farmers. To meet pharmacopoeial standards, a complete development of pharmqaceutical excipients from agricultural residues is desired.

Keywords: Pharmaceutical excipients, natural polymers, Microcrystalline cellulose, solid dosage forms, tropical plants, agricultural residues