Cellulose is among the top 5 excipients used in the pharmaceutical industry. It has been\nconsidered one of the main diluents used in conventional and modern dosage forms. Therefore,\ndifferent raw materials of plant origin have been evaluated as potential alternative sources of cellulose.\nIn this context, Opuntia ficus-indica L. Miller (palma forrageira), a plant of the cactus family that\nhas physiological mechanisms that provide greater productivity with reduced water requirements,\nis an interesting and unexplored alternative for extracting cellulose. By using this source, we aim\nto decrease the extraction stages and increase the yields, which might result in a decreased cost\nfor the industry and consequently for the consumer. The aim of this work was to investigate the\nuse of Opuntia ficus-indica L. Miller as a new source for cellulose extraction, therefore providing an\nefficient, straight forward and low-cost method of cellulose II production. The extraction method is\nbased on the oxidation of the lignins. The obtained cellulose was identified and characterized by\nspectroscopic methods (FTIR and NMR), X-ray diffraction, thermal analysis (TGA-DTG and DSC)\nand scanning electron microscopy. The results confirmed the identity of cellulose and its fibrous\nnature, which are promising characteristics for its use in the industry and a reasonable substrate for\nchemical modifications for the synthesis of cellulose II derivatives with different physicochemical\nproperties that might be used in the production of drug delivery systems and biomaterials.
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