Excipients and Their Attributes in Granulation
Dilip M. Parikh in Handbook of Pharmaceutical Granulation Technology, 2021
Sugar alcohols or polyols are polyhydric alcohols that occur naturally and can be synthetically produced from sugars and resemble sugars in that some exhibit significant sweetness but since they are polyols, they do not have the same incompatibilities as reducing sugars. They are also non-cariogenic and have a much lower glycemic index than sugar. These compounds are used in food products, confections, and pharmaceuticals. Most are available in different particle size grades in crystalline as well as granular form. As most manufacturers prefer to manufacture tablets by direct compression whenever possible, these products are positioned for direct compression applications through wet granulation of the sugar alcohols is not uncommon. In studying the granulation performance of three sugar alcohols – mannitol, sorbitol, and xylitol – in different amounts as compared to sucrose, researchers found that the increased viscosity of the liquid bridges formed, as a result of the partial dissolution of the sugars, strongly contributed to the agglomeration process. The viscosity influenced the liquid mobility and distribution of the solution. As with any soluble filler-diluent-binder, its solubility in the granulating fluid (typically water) is expected to have some influence in the process (visible in torque rheometry measurements) and the outcome of granule and tablet properties.
Personal Weight Loss Strategies in Obesity
Emily Crews Splane, Neil E. Rowland, Anaya Mitra in Psychology of Eating, 2019
Some currently popular sweeteners include Splenda®, Truvia®, and Monk fruit sweeteners. Sucralose (marketed as Splenda®) is derived from sucrose and probably has the most authentic sugar flavor when compared with saccharin and aspartame (Quinlan & Jenner, 2006). As of 2008 it is believed to be the most widely used sweetener in the United States (Sylvetsky & Rother, 2016). Steviol glycoside sweeteners (commonly called stevia) are a class of zero-calorie sweeteners derived from the Stevia rebaudiana plant, which is native to parts of South America. Luo han guo sweeteners are derived from the Siraitia grosvenorii plant or Monk fruit which is native to parts of China and Thailand. Both stevia and Monk fruit sweeteners are relatively recent arrivals on the United States market (circa 2008). The largest-by-weight ingredient of Truvia® (which is sold as a stevia-based “natural” sweetener) is in fact not stevia but the sugar alcohol, erythritol (“Truvia FAQ”, 2018). Sugar alcohols, also called polyols, are an example of a nutritive sweetener. While they contain some calories (ranging from 0–3 kcal/g, which is lower than table sugar which has ~4 kcal/g), they are incompletely absorbed by humans, resulting in fewer calories retained following their consumption. Examples of sugar alcohols include xylitol, erythritol, and sorbitol. Sugar alcohols are frequently used in sugar-free candies and chewing gum.
Medical Nutrition Therapy for Patients with Type-2 Diabetes
Jeffrey I. Mechanick, Elise M. Brett in Nutritional Strategies for the Diabetic & Prediabetic Patient, 2006
Fructose is associated with a lower postprandial rise in blood sugar than sucrose, but may affect lipids adversely [101–103]. Sugar alcohols produce lower glycemic responses compared to sucrose, fructose, and glucose, but can cause diarrhea [27]. Saccharin, aspartame, acesulfame potassium, and sucralose are the four Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved nonnutritive artificial sweeteners [104]. Aspartame (NutraSweet®) consists of two amino acids (aspartic acid and phenylalanine) and is 180 times as sweet as sucrose. It cannot be used in baking or cooking as it is heat-labile. Saccharin is a nonnutritive sweetener which is still being used despite an FDA warning about its potential for bladder carcinogenicity with long-term use [103]. Sucralose (Splenda®) is 600 times sweeter than sucrose and is heat-stable for cooking and baking. The FDA approved its use in 1998 and concluded that this sweetener did not pose carcinogenic, reproductive, or neurological risk to humans [104].
COVID-19: quarantine, isolation, and lifestyle diseases
Published in Archives of Physiology and Biochemistry, 2023
Heena Rehman, Md Iftekhar Ahmad
The glycaemic response of the body directly depends on the amount of carbohydrate consumed. The recommended carbohydrate depends on the metabolic needs of a person, the type of medication, insulin, and individual preferences. For better management of diabetes, foods with added sugars and refined grains should be limited (American Diabetes Association 2019). Glycaemic control can be improved by choosing foods with a low glycaemic index. Lower glycaemic foods and whole grains, and minimally processed foods have a low glycaemic index. Sugar alcohols such as maltitol and sorbitol can be used as sugar substitutes. Fifty grams of fibre per day has been shown to improve glycaemic control (American Diabetes Association 2013). The Mediterranean diet containing unsaturated fats helps in controlling sugar levels. A higher intake of protein (28–40% of total kcal) has been shown to improve glycaemic control (Layman and Baum 2004).
Use of sorbitol as pharmaceutical excipient in the present day formulations – issues and challenges for drug absorption and bioavailability
Published in Drug Development and Industrial Pharmacy, 2019
Ranjeet Prasad Dash, Nuggehally R. Srinivas, R. Jayachandra Babu
Sugar alcohols, because of being produced from their respective aldose sugars, are also known as alditols. These are low molecular weight easily digestible carbohydrates obtained by substituting the aldehyde group with a hydroxyl group [1]. Primarily, sugar alcohols are classified as hydrogenated monosaccharides (sorbitol, mannitol), hydrogenated disaccharides (isomalt, maltitol, lactitol), and mixtures of hydrogenated mono, di, and/or oligosaccharides (hydrogenated starch hydrolysates) [2]. Amongst these sugar alcohols, sorbitol (Figure 1) has gained significant attention in the past few years because of its wide usage as a pharmaceutical excipient and its influence on the disposition and pharmacokinetics of certain drugs. Sorbitol (i.e. d-glucitol) is a six-carbon sugar alcohol that was discovered by a French chemist in the berries of the mountain ash in 1872. It is also found in fresh fruits such as apples, pears, peaches, apricots and nectarines as well as in dried fruits, such as prunes, dates, raisins, and in some vegetables [3]. Chemically, sorbitol can be produced from glucose or sucrose, by hydrogenation at high temperature [4]. Sorbitol can also be produced by bacteria such as Zymomonas mobilis and Candida boidini, by an enzymatic process [5,6].
The influence of stevia on the flow, shear and compression behavior of sorbitol, a pharmaceutical excipient for direct compression
Published in Pharmaceutical Development and Technology, 2018
Hana Hurychová, Pavel Ondrejček, Zdenka Šklubalová, Barbora Vraníková, Tomáš Svěrák
For the acceptability of the orally applied products, taste is one of the most important factors. In order to modify the unpleasant taste, sweeteners are widely included in the formulation (Sohi et al. 2004). Sorbitol is among the most commonly used sugar alcohols for taste correction, as a filler/dry binder for direct compression of tablets, a wet granulation agent, a plasticizer for coated tablets and in chewable tablets; the crystalline or spray dried form of sorbitol represents an example of a free flowable excipient (Bolhuis & Chowhan 1996; Nabors 2012; Grembecka 2015). Generally, sugar alcohols have lower sweetening power than sucrose, but they have the advantage of similar sensation properties and are therefore often combined with other sweeteners. Recently steviosid, the natural sweetener, is in the forefront of interest.
Related Knowledge Centers
- Hexose
- Organic Compound
- Polyol
- Sorbitol
- Stereochemistry
- Sucrose
- Xylitol
- Sugar
- Hydroxy Group
- Sugar Substitute