Bacterial nano cellulose as non-active pharmaceutical ingredient: Advances and perspectives

Abstract

Nano Cellulose is commonly produced by the top-down enzymatic, mechanical and/or chemical treatments. In contrast, Bacterial Nano Cellulose (BNC) can be obtained by a bottom-up approach, where is biosynthesized from glucose using the direct action of specific bacterial strains. BNC impart attractive combinations of biologic and physicochemical characteristics such as biocompatibility, biodegradability, light weight, sustainability, and improved mechanical properties. The trend towards environmental sustainability and development of renewable resources has significantly increased interest. A critical aspect in BNC production is to identify a low-cost culture medium that can improve the yield of BNC and can be used as an economically viable solution for application in a range of fields. There is an immense perspective of BNC in health care as well as drug applications. Potential uses include barrier films, antimicrobial films, pharmaceuticals and drug delivery systems. Even though BNC has been demonstrated as nongenotoxic and noncytotoxic, further studies are required to completely address such issue. Key aspects for future development include the design of BNC for specific user requirements, the reduction of production costs, and the customization/functionalization using post production steps and different types of compounding/processing.