Study: From waste to a resource? Hemicelluloses enhance the dissolution and stability of the amorphous state of carbamazepine

Hemicelluloses provide high potential to become a great source of natural polymers for the pharmaceutical industry, offering a sustainable alternative for synthetic excipients used in various pharmaceutical products, shows the study conducted by University of Helsinki and University of Eastern Finland.

Natural polymers offer sustainable alternative for synthetic polymers in pharmaceutical applications

Various pharmaceutical preparations, such as medicine tablets, require excipients that are the origin of both synthetic and natural polymers.

Synthetic polymers are easy to produce, and their quality is consistent, however they are petroleum-based plastics and the material and energy demand on their production is relatively high. Furthermore, some synthetic polymers are not biodegradable and potentially harmful residues may end up in the environment after use.

Hemicelluloses are highly promising natural polymers for pharmaceutical applications due to their advantageous colloidal properties, such as abundant availability, cost-effectiveness, non-toxicity, biocompatibility, and biodegradability. What makes them even more appealing is that they can be collected from the side-streams of various industries, such as forestry and agriculture. However, their ability to solubilize poorly water-soluble drugs and stabilise their amorphous form is currently virtually unexplored. Also batch-to-batch variation and variation due to being extracted from different plants may complicate their broader utilisation in the pharmaceutical industry.

The findings support the applicability of hemicelluloses for pharmaceutical applications

Researchers from University of Helsinki and University of Eastern Finland studied the applicability of birch, spruce, and wheat hemicelluloses in pharmaceutical applications.

The finding of the study showed the birch, spruce, and wheat straw hemicelluloses formed direct-compressed tablets and stable amorphous solid dispersions that may improve dissolution properties of drugs. Differences exist between hemicelluloses from different plant sources and thus more research with structurally different drug substances is needed in the future.

CH-Bioforce provided samples of hemicelluloses for the study

CH-Bioforce provided samples of freeze-dried birch hemicelluloses (BH), spruce hemicelluloses (SH) and wheat straw hemicelluloses (WH) for the research.

– The findings of the study are promising, and we are pleased to learn that hemicelluloses have great potential to be used in pharmaceutical applications, says Lari Vähäsalo, R&D Director of CH-Bioforce.

In addition to pharmaceutical applications, hemicelluloses have proven potential in other industries as well. The natural polymers can be used in the production of various consumables such as takeaway coffee cups, packaging, cosmetics and food.

– Due to water solubility, biodegradability, and flexible structure, hemicellulose XYLENSE® serves as a versatile ingredient in the cosmetics industry. For example, in lotions, hemicelluloses give it a smooth, easily applicable consistency, says Vähäsalo.

Authors:

Kirsi S. Mikkonen
Department of Food and Nutrition, University of Helsinki
Institute of Sustainability Science, University of Helsinki

Reetta Latukka
School of Pharmacy, University of Eastern Finland

Danila de Carvalho
Department of Food and Nutrition, University of Helsinki

Riikka Laitinen
School of Pharmacy, University of Eastern Finland

The study was published in Sustainable Chemistry and Pharmacy in February 2024.

Read the whole research paper: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352554123004394