ABSTRACT
Microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) is obtained from naturally occurring cellulose that has been purified and partially depolymerized. MCC is an excipient with wide-ranging applications in the pharmaceutical industry. Particularly, in the process of extrusion–spheronization, MCC has shown unsurpassed efficiency in terms of process control and end-product quality. It has been regarded as an essential excipient for a well-controlled system for pellet production. Inherent variability in the physical properties of MCC types obtained from different manufacturing processes and suppliers has been shown to affect their function and performance, and consequently process control during extrusion–spheronization process and end-product quality. This chapter provides an outline of the different types of MCC obtained from different manufacturing processes as well as different suppliers, and the current state of knowledge on its application in extrusion–spheronization as a pelletization aid.
