Which excipient serves multiple functions including as a dry binder and disintegrant?

Microcrystalline cellulose is recognized for its multifunctional role in pharmaceutical formulations. It serves both as a dry binder and a disintegrant, which is crucial for the development of solid dosage forms like tablets.

As a dry binder, microcrystalline cellulose enhances the cohesiveness of granules during the formulation process, ensuring that the mixture will form a stable tablet upon compression. Its binding properties are attributed to the ability to create a strong lattice structure within the tablet, which holds the particles together.

In addition to its binding function, microcrystalline cellulose acts as a disintegrant when the tablet is ingested. Upon contact with moisture, it swells and aids in breaking the tablet into smaller particles, thereby promoting drug release and absorption in the gastrointestinal tract. This dual functionality helps in optimizing the performance of oral solid dosage forms.

While other excipients like lactose, starch, and sorbitol play important roles, they do not offer the same combination of dry binding and disintegration properties as effectively as microcrystalline cellulose. Starch, for example, is primarily known for its role as a disintegrant and can also act as a binder, but not as effectively in dry form as microcrystalline cellulose. Lactose is more commonly used as