Int J Pharma Res Health Sci. 2019; 7 (3): 2968-73 2968 IIIIIIIII© International Journal of Pharma Research and Health Sciences. All rights reserved DOI:10.21276/ijprhs.2019.03.03 AchorM et al CODEN (USA)-IJPRUR, e-ISSN: 2348-6465 Original Article Synthesis of Methylcellulose from the Bark of Crescentiacujete: Characterization and Tabletting Properties Achor M 1, * , Ibrahim A T 2 , Ahmad U 2 , Nasiru A S 2 1 Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto. 2 Department of Pure and Applied Chemistry, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto. ARTICLE INFO ABSTRACT ______ 1. INTRODUCTION Cellulose is considered as an important base material for the production of cellulose derivative such as carboxyl methyl cellulose, methyl cellulose, hydroxy propyl methyl cellulose 1 . These derivatives are exploited by food and drug processors and other industries to meet a specific need. Daiyong 2 reported that wood had been the dominant International Journal of Pharma Research and Health Sciences Available online at www.pharmahealthsciences.net Received: 21 Mar 2019 Accepted: 15 May2019 The methylcellulose is an important ingredient in pharmaceutical, food, cosmetic and other industries. In this study, the methylcellulose, synthesized from the bark of Crescentia cujete, was evaluated for its physical and tableting characteristic to assess its usefulness in pharmaceutical tableting. The methylcellulose, synthesized from the bark of Crescentia cujete, obtained by alkali pre-treatment, delignification followed by sodium hypochlorite bleaching and methylation was examined for its physicochemical and tableting properties in comparison with the well – known commercial methylcellulose and starch BP. The synthesis yield of this methylcellulose, obtained from the bark of Crescentia cujete was approximately 83.33 % (0.8333g/g). The true density was 1.25; the flow indices showed that the methylcellulose synthesizes from the bark of Crescentia cujete has good flow properties. The hydration, swelling capacity were 4.40 and 466, respectively. Tablets resulting from these methylcellulose materials were found to be without surface defects, improves the hardness as compared to covenant methyl cellulose and starch maize, and having disintegration time within 15 minutes. The study reveals that the methylcellulose synthesized from the bark of Crescentia cujete compares favourably with standard and conformed to the official requirement specified in the British Pharmacopoeia 2012 for methylcellulose. Keywords: Characterization, Crescentia cujete, Methyl Cellulose, Tableting Corresponding author * Achor Mohammed Department of Pharmaceutics and Pharmaceutical Microbiology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, Nigeria E-mail: munchors001@yahoo.com