1. The raw materials of gelatin capsules are different from those of plant capsules
Gelatin capsules are mainly composed of high-quality medicinal gelatin. Gelatin comes from collagen in animal skin, tendons and bones, and is hydrolyzed from collagen in animal connective tissue or epidermal tissue. The main components of plant capsules are medicinal hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose (HPMC), that is, 2-hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose, cellulose is the most abundant natural polymer in natural resources, HPMC is usually made of short cotton wool or wood pulp as raw materials, by etherification.
2. The storage conditions of gelatin capsules and plant capsules are different
In terms of storage conditions, after a large number of tests, it is almost not brittle under low humidity conditions, the capsule shell properties are still stable under high temperature and humidity, and the indicators of plant capsules under extreme storage conditions are not affected. Gelatin capsules are easy to adhere under high humidity conditions, and under low humidity conditions, water loss hardening or brittle, strong dependence on the storage environment of temperature, humidity and packaging materials.
3. The production process of gelatin capsules is different from that of plant capsules
Plant hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose made of capsule shell, still has a natural concept. The main component of the hollow capsule is protein, so it is easy to breed breeding bacteria and microorganisms. Preservatives need to be added in the production process, and the finished product needs to be sterilized by ethylene oxide before packaging, in order to ensure the microbial control index of the capsule. The plant capsule production process does not need to add any preservatives, without sterilization treatment, fundamentally solve the problem of residual preservatives.
4. Gelatin capsules have different characteristics from plant capsules
Compared with traditional gelatin hollow capsules, plant capsules have the advantages of wide adaptability, no cross-linking risk and high stability. The drug release speed is relatively stable, and the individual difference is small. After disintegrating in the human body, plant capsules are not absorbed and the excreta is discharged from the body.
The demand for plant capsules will show a high growth trend in the future. Although it is impossible for plant capsules to replace the dominant position of traditional gelatin capsules, plant capsules have obvious competitive advantages in Chinese traditional medicine preparations, biological preparations and functional foods, with wide applicability, no risk of cross-linking reaction, high stability, no moisture absorption and other advantages. With people's understanding of plant capsules, as well as the change of public drug use concept at home and abroad, the market demand for plant capsules will grow rapidly.