Ethylcellulose (7 MPa.s)
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, 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] 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] 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
- Amantadine Hydrochloride 100 mg (Sandoz Pharmaceuticals Inc.)
- Carbamazepine Extended-Release 100 mg (Apotex Corp.)
- Carbamazepine Extended-Release 200 mg (Apotex Corp.)
- Carbamazepine Extended-Release 300 mg (Apotex Corp.)
- Clarithromycin Extended Release 500 mg (Teva Pharmaceuticals USA)
- Levetiracetam Extended Release 500 mg (Teva Pharmaceuticals USA Inc)
- Levetiracetam Extended Release 750 mg (Teva Pharmaceuticals USA Inc)
- Metformin Hydrochloride Extended Release 500 mg (Teva Pharmaceuticals USA)
- Metformin Hydrochloride Extended Release 750 mg (Teva Pharmaceuticals USA)
- Topiramate (Sprinkle) 15 mg (Teva Pharmaceuticals USA)
- Topiramate (Sprinkle) 25 mg (Teva Pharmaceuticals USA)
- Venlafaxine Hydrochloride Extended-Release 75 mg (Teva Pharmaceuticals USA)
- Venlafaxine Hydrochloride Extended-Release 150 mg (Teva Pharmaceuticals USA)
- Venlafaxine Hydrochloride Extended-Release 37.5 mg (Teva Pharmaceuticals USA)
