Sodium Alginate

Sodium Alginate is the sodium salt form of alginic acid and gum mainly extracted from the cell walls of brown algae, with chelating activity. Alginates are known for their liquid–gel behavior in aqueous solutions. It is also widely used in molecular gastronomy. It is a white powder, odourless and tasteless, slowly soluble in water forming a viscous solution

Sodium Alginate is white or yellowish powder, almost tasteless and odorless. It is a highly polymerized compound with high viscosity, also a kind of typical hydrophilic colloid.

The Chemical compound Sodium Alginate is the Sodium Salt of Alginic Acid. Its empirical chemical formula is NaC6H7O6. Its form as a gum, when extracted from the cell wall of brown algae, is used by the foods industry to increase viscosity and as an emulsifier.

Sodium Alginate is a good chelator for pulling radioactive toxins such as iodine -131 and strontium-90 from the body which have taken the place of their non-radioactive counterparts.

Applications

It is widely used in food, pharmaceutical and textile industry for its stability, thickening and emulsibility, hydratability and gel properties. It is also used in indigestion tablets and the preparation of dental impressions. Sodium alginate has no discernible flavor. Another major use of Sodium Alginate is reactive dye printing, where it is used in the Textile Industry. Sodium Alginate is also used in immobilizing enzymes by inclusion.

Pharmaceutical Grade

In pharmaceutical field, Sodium Alginate is widely used in pharmaceutical preparation, tissue engineering, clinical treatment, cell culture and food processing fields because of its exclusive physicochemical property and favorable biocompatibility. In pharmaceutical preparation field, Sodium Alginate is usually used as thickening agent, suspending agent and disintegrating agent, it also can be used as the microencapsulated materials and the cold resistant agent for cells. Further more, it can lower blood sugar, antioxidant and increase immunological competence.

In recent years, with the development of biological medical material and the new pharmaceutical dosage form, as a kind of bioadhesive polymer and PH sensitivity of the gel material, the application research of Sodium Alginate is increasing. In the conventional preparation, sustained release microcapsules or mini-pills are made availing of its polyelectrolyte character, gel matrix tablets are made availing of its gel character and targeted intestinal absorption tablet disintegrant is made availing of its PH sensitivity.

In addition, Sodium Alginate can be used as thickening agent of the topical ointment. The viscosity of the oral tablet is increased if added Sodium Alginate into it, then gel barrier effect comes into being and prolong the drug release time, reduce adverse reactions. long acting Isosorbide Dinitrate tablet is made with the Sodium Alginate as base material. Long term effect can also be caused if added Sodium Alginate into antibiotic, insulinum and hormone drugs solution.

Sodium Alginate molecule contains free carboxyl and oxdydryl than can form gel with many metal ions. The mini-pills we made have PH sensitivity, suitable grain size that can prevent burst and oral toxicity. Sodium Alginate gel is so powerful bio-adhesive that it can be used in local wound dressing, drug delivery system for nasal cavity and ocular region, oral pellicles and chewable tablet. Sodium Alginate has the characteristic of blood compatibility, degradation and elimination inside the body, it is a good carrier material for targeting drug.