Everything You Should Know About HPMC Capsules

Introduction of HPMC Capsules

Hydroxypropyl methylcellulose Capsules or Hypromellose is an inert, derived from vegetable cellulose, viscoelastic polymer. This makes it 100% pure and natural; contains no preservatives, gelatin or any form of animal by-products or starch. The cellulose content is extracted either from pine or poplar. Because of this most important and contributing factor that made this capsule has gained popularity in the recent years. It is solid and is in the form of white powder in appearance. This could be formed into granules. When dissolved in water it forms colloids. This non-toxic capsule is very combustible as it reacts vigorously with the oxidizing agents. They have numerous benefits in the form of stability, less brittle in low humidity when the moisture content is below 2%, faster dissolution and suitable for filling machines. It easy to swallow than gel caps.

Application of HPMC Capsules

It is widely used in various pharmaceutical and food preparation. The main application of this capsule is a thickening agent, coating polymers, bio-adhesive, cosmetic, eye drops and contact lenses. The following are the application in the food and other industries: –

• Like gluten, it can trap air bubbles that cause the bread to rise.
• It has application in the construction industry in the form of adhesive for tiles as it is a good water retention agent
• It also performs the functions of the control release agent to prevent the early release of the medical compound into a digestive tract

The following are the advantages of this capsule

1. Replacement for Gelatin

HPMC Capsules offers a good replacement for gelatin capsules. The primary reason for replacement is that the gelatin is derived from an animal resource. This substance is also known as collagen. On the other hand, the capsules are made of plant extracts. This non-animal capsule is produced by the fermentation process is widely accepted by the regulatory authority.

2. A New product

Erstwhile the gelatin capsule shell has a moisture content of around 15 to 16 percent that makes it unfit for the hydrolyzable drugs. Furthermore, the gelatin doesn’t dissolve easily. It is produced by the extracts of animal that make it less popular when it comes to cultural, religious and vegetarian restrictions. To meet these situations, in 1998, Shionogi Qualicap successfully manufactured this capsule. Now it is produced by various pharmaceutical companies.

3. Other Advantages

These capsules are odorless and flexible that can very easily dissoluble in water. When it comes to pH factor, the medicine shows a better result than the gelatin capsules. Studies have shown that it performs all the functions that are delivered by the gelatin capsules. This feature makes them fit for use in the food sector.

Conclusions

These capsules offer numerous benefits. These capsules avoid the spread of animal-related disease. It has also found its way into the industry of Dry Powder Inhalers (DPI). With the rapid progress in the manufacturing, increasing commercial usage, low moisture content, non-animal content; this capsule is going to take over the market soon when compared to classic gelatin capsules.