Ethylcellulose
Excipient (pharmacologically inactive substance)
What is it?
Ethylcellulose is a free-flowing, white to light tan powder used in the pharmaceutical and food manufacturing industries. It is prepared from wood pulp or cotton by treatment with alkali and ethylation of the alkali cellulose with ethyl chloride. Ethylcellulose is used in pharmaceutical industry as a coating agent, flavoring fixative, tablet binder and filler, film-former, and as a viscosity-increasing agent. Ethyl cellulose is also used in the food industry as an emulsifier.[1] [2]
There is very limited data detailing possible side effects of ethylcellulose; however it is included in the FDA generally regarded as safe (GRAS) Database of Substances (SCOGS) Reviews.[3]
[1] Dave RH. Overview of pharmaceutical excipients used in tablets and capsules. Drug Topics (online). Advanstar. 10/24/2008 http://drugtopics.modernmedicine.com/drugtopics/Top+News/Overview-of-pharmaceutical-excipients-used-in-tabl/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/561047. Accessed 08/19/2011
[2] [2]Food and Agriculture Organization of the United States. Prepared at the 26th JECFA (1982), published in FNP 25 ( 1982) and FNP. 52 (1992). Accessed March 31, 2012. Ethylcellulose. http://www.fao.org/ag/agn/jecfa-additives/specs/Monograph1/Additive-178.pdf
[3] [3]FDA’s SCOGS database; Ethylcellulose; SCOGS-Report Number: 25; http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/fcn/fcnDetailNavigation.cfm?rpt=scogsListing&id=365 Accessed March 31, http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/fcn/fcnDetailNavigation.cfm?rpt=scogsListing&id=119
Top Medications with this excipient
- Dilatrate-SR 40 mg (Schwarz Pharma)
- Dilatrate-SR 40 mg (Schwarz Pharma)
- Disopyramide Phosphate 150 mg (Ethex Corporation)
- Galantamine Hydrobromide Extended Release 8 mg (Global Pharmaceuticals)
- Galantamine Hydrobromide Extended Release 16 mg (Global Pharmaceuticals)
- Galantamine Hydrobromide Extended Release 24 mg (Global Pharmaceuticals)
- Inderal LA 60 mg (Wyeth-Ayerst Laboratories)
- Inderal LA 80 mg (Wyeth)
- Inderal LA 120 mg (Wyeth-Ayerst Laboratories)
- Inderal LA 160 mg (Wyeth)
- NORPACE CR 100 MG (Pfizer U.S. Pharmaceuticals Group)
- NORPACE CR 150 MG (Pharmacia Corp)
- Orphenadrine Citrate Extended Release 100 mg (Global Pharmaceuticals)
- Palladone 32 mg (Purdue Pharma LP)
- Palladone 16 mg (Purdue Pharma LP)
- Palladone 12 mg (Purdue Pharma LP)
- Theophylline Extended-Release 300 mg (Inwood Laboratories Inc.)
- Theophylline Extended-Release 200 mg (Inwood Laboratories Inc.)
- Theophylline Extended-Release 125 mg (Inwood Laboratories Inc.)
- Tricon Hematinic Concentrate with Intrinsic Factor (Nnodum Pharmaceuticals)
