Carboxymethylcellulose Sodium

Synonyms: Akucell; Aqualon CMC; Aquasorb; Blanose; Carbose D; carmellosum natricum; Cel-O-Brandt; cellulose gum; Cethylose; CMC sodium; E466; Finnfix; Glykocellan; Nymcel ZSB; SCMC; sodium carboxymethylcellulose; sodium cellulose glycolate; Sunrose; Tylose CB; Tylose MGA; Walocel C; Xylo-Mucine.

Description: Carboxymethylcellulose sodium occurs as a white to almost white, odorless, tasteless, granular powder. It is hygroscopic after drying.

Chemical Name: Cellulose, carboxymethyl ether, sodium salt

Coating agent; stabilizing agent; suspending agent; tablet and capsule disintegrant; tablet binder; viscosity-increasing agent; water-absorbing agent.

• Carboxymethylcellulose sodium is widely used in oral and topical pharmaceutical formulations, primarily for its viscosity-increasing properties.

• Viscous aqueous solutions are used to suspend powders intended for either topical application or oral and parenteral administration.

• Carboxymethylcellulose sodium may also be used as a tablet binder and disintegrant, and to stabilize emulsions.

• Higher concentrations, usually 3–6%, of the medium-viscosity grade are used to produce gels that can be used as the base for applications and pastes; glycols are often included in such gels to prevent them drying out.

• Carboxymethylcellulose sodium is also used in self-adhesive ostomy, wound care, and dermatological patches as a muco-adhesive and to absorb wound exudate or transepidermal water and sweat.

• This muco-adhesive property is used in products designed to prevent post-surgical tissue adhesions; and to localize and modify the release kinetics of active ingredients applied to mucous membranes; and for bone repair.

• Encapsulation with carboxymethylcellulose sodium can affect drug protection and delivery.

• There have also been reports of its use as a cyto-protective agent

Carboxymethylcellulose sodium is incompatible with strongly acidic solutions and with the soluble salts of iron and some other metals, such as aluminum, mercury, and zinc. It is also incompatible with xanthan gum. Precipitation may occur at pH < 2, and also when it is mixed with ethanol (95%). Carboxymethylcellulose sodium forms complex coacervates with gelatin and pectin. It also forms a complex with collagen and is capable of precipitating certain positively charged proteins.

Carboxymethylcellulose sodium is used in oral, topical, and some parenteral formulations. It is also widely used in cosmetics, toiletries, and food products, and is generally regarded as a nontoxic and nonirritant material. However, oral consumption of large amounts of carboxymethylcellulose sodium can have a laxative effect; therapeutically, 4–10 g in daily divided doses of the medium- and high-viscosity grades of carboxymethylcellulose sodium have been used as bulk laxatives.

Observe normal precautions appropriate to the circumstances and quantity of material handled. Carboxymethylcellulose sodium may be irritant to the eyes. Eye protection is recommended.

Carboxymethylcellulose calcium.