Evaluation of novel microcrystalline cellulose from Ensete glaucum (Roxb.) Cheesman biomass as sustainable drug delivery biomaterial.

Microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) is one of the most important functional excipient in Pharmaceutical industries. A renewable biomass from Ensete glaucum (Roxb.) was investigated as a potential source of a novel functional MCC. MCC was prepared by a simple, dilute acid hydrolysis and characterized through FTIR, DSC, XRD, along with micromeritic studies. Functional properties such as packing, rearrangement, consolidation and compactibility of the prepared MCC were also evaluated in view of its application as drug delivery biomaterial. Results suggest that the prepared MCC exhibit properties comparable to commercially available standard MCC. From Kawakita and Heckel plots, it was observed that the new MCC consolidates better than the standard MCC. Disintegration efficiency test also indicates that the novel MCC functions as a better tablet disintegrant to the standard MCC indicating the potential of Ensete glaucum (Roxb.) as a green resource for preparation of the low cost, functional and sustainable carbohydrate polymer.