Absorption, Distribution and Excretion
No pharmacokinetic data available.
No pharmacokinetic data available.
No pharmacokinetic data available.
No pharmacokinetic data available.

---

Metabolism / Metabolites
No pharmacokinetic data available.

---

Biological Half-Life
No pharmacokinetic data available.

Protein Binding
No pharmacokinetic data available.

---

Toxicity Data
LC50 (rat) > 5,800 mg/m3/4hr

Carboxymethylcellulose is a cellulose derivative that consists of the cellulose backbone made up of glucopyranose monomers and their hydroxyl groups bound to carboxymethyl groups. It is added in food products as a viscosity modifier or thickener and emulsifier. It is also one of the most common viscous polymers used in artificial tears, and has shown to be effective in the treatment of aqueous tear-deficient dry eye symptoms and ocular surface staining. The viscous and mucoadhesive properties as well as its anionic charge allow prolonged retention time in the ocular surface. Sodium carboxymethylcellulose is the most commonly used salt.
Carboxymethylcellulose is a polymer and cellulose derivative that can be used as a viscosity modifier and thickener to stabilize emulsions. In medical products, carboxymethylcellulose is used as a lubricating agent in artificial tears and in wound dressings to improve wound healing.
A cellulose derivative which is a beta-(1,4)-D-glucopyranose polymer. It is used as a bulk laxative and as an emulsifier and thickener in cosmetics and pharmaceuticals and as a stabilizer for reagents.
See also: Croscarmellose (annotation moved to).

---

Drug Indication
Indicated for the symptomatic relief of burning, irritation and discomfort of the eyes due to dryness or exposure to wind or sun.

---

Mechanism of Action
Carboxymethylcellulose binds to the surface of corneal epithelial cells via its glucopyranose subunits binding to glucose receptors GLUT-1. The residence time of carboxymethylcellulose bound to corneal cells is approximately 2 hours as indicated by a short-term binding assay. Binding of carboxymethylcellulose to the matrix proteins stimulated corneal epithelial cell attachment, migration, and re-epithelialization of corneal wounds.

---

Pharmacodynamics
In a randomized clinical study of patients with mild or moderate forms of eye dryness, ophthalmic treatment with sodium carboxymethylcellulose resulted in a diminished frequency of symptoms compared to the placebo group. Carboxymethylcellulose interacts with human corneal epithelial cells to facilitate corneal epithelial wound healing and attenuate eye irritation in a dose-dependent manner. It exhibits protective actions on the ocular surface in various applications; it mediates cytoprotective effects on the ocular surface when applied prior to contact lenses and reduces the incidence of epithelial defects during LASIK.

C8H16O8

240.207843780518

240.085

C, 40.00; H, 6.71; O, 53.28

9000-11-7

Cellulose;9004-34-6;Hydroxyethyl cellulose;9004-62-0;Sodium carboxymethyl cellulose (Viscosity:300-800mpa.s);9004-32-4

24748

White to off-white solid

1.450 g/cm3

527.1ºC at 760 mmHg

286.7ºC

2.59E-13mmHg at 25°C

6

8

5

16

169

0

CC(=O)O.OCC(C(C(C(C=O)O)O)O)O

VJHCJDRQFCCTHL-UHFFFAOYSA-N

InChI=1S/C6H12O6.C2H4O2/c7-1-3(9)5(11)6(12)4(10)2-8;1-2(3)4/h1,3-6,8-12H,2H2;1H3,(H,3,4)

acetic acid compound with 2,3,4,5,6-pentahydroxyhexanal (1:1)

carbose; Apergel; cellulose gum; Tylose; CMC; C.M.C.; Almelose; carboxymethylcellulose; carboxy methyl cellulose; carboxy-methyl-cellulose; carmellose; thylose;

2934.99.9001

Powder      -20°C    3 years

                     4°C     2 years

In solvent   -80°C    6 months

                  -20°C    1 month

Room temperature (This product is stable at ambient temperature for a few days during ordinary shipping and time spent in Customs)

H2O: < 0.1 mg/mL

Note: Listed below are some common formulations that may be used to formulate products with low water solubility (e.g. < 1 mg/mL), you may test these formulations using a minute amount of products to avoid loss of samples.

---

Injection Formulation 1: DMSO : Tween 80： Saline = 10 : 5 : 85 (i.e. 100 μL DMSO stock solution → 50 μL Tween 80 → 850 μL Saline)
*Preparation of saline: Dissolve 0.9 g of sodium chloride in 100 mL ddH ₂ O to obtain a clear solution.
Injection Formulation 2: DMSO : PEG300 ：Tween 80 : Saline = 10 : 40 : 5 : 45 (i.e. 100 μL DMSO → 400 μLPEG300 → 50 μL Tween 80 → 450 μL Saline)
Injection Formulation 3: DMSO : Corn oil = 10 : 90 (i.e. 100 μL DMSO → 900 μL Corn oil)
Example: Take the Injection Formulation 3 (DMSO : Corn oil = 10 : 90) as an example, if 1 mL of 2.5 mg/mL working solution is to be prepared, you can take 100 μL 25 mg/mL DMSO stock solution and add to 900 μL corn oil, mix well to obtain a clear or suspension solution (2.5 mg/mL, ready for use in animals).

View More

Injection Formulation 4: DMSO : 20% SBE-β-CD in saline = 10 : 90 [i.e. 100 μL DMSO → 900 μL (20% SBE-β-CD in saline)]
*Preparation of 20% SBE-β-CD in Saline (4°C，1 week): Dissolve 2 g SBE-β-CD in 10 mL saline to obtain a clear solution.
Injection Formulation 5: 2-Hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin : Saline = 50 : 50 (i.e. 500 μL 2-Hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin → 500 μL Saline)
Injection Formulation 6: DMSO : PEG300 : castor oil : Saline = 5 : 10 : 20 : 65 (i.e. 50 μL DMSO → 100 μLPEG300 → 200 μL castor oil → 650 μL Saline)
Injection Formulation 7: Ethanol : Cremophor : Saline = 10： 10 : 80 (i.e. 100 μL Ethanol → 100 μL Cremophor → 800 μL Saline)
Injection Formulation 8: Dissolve in Cremophor/Ethanol (50 : 50), then diluted by Saline
Injection Formulation 9: EtOH : Corn oil = 10 : 90 (i.e. 100 μL EtOH → 900 μL Corn oil)
Injection Formulation 10: EtOH : PEG300：Tween 80 : Saline = 10 : 40 : 5 : 45 (i.e. 100 μL EtOH → 400 μLPEG300 → 50 μL Tween 80 → 450 μL Saline)

---

Oral Formulation 1: Suspend in 0.5% CMC Na (carboxymethylcellulose sodium)
Oral Formulation 2: Suspend in 0.5% Carboxymethyl cellulose
Example: Take the Oral Formulation 1 (Suspend in 0.5% CMC Na) as an example, if 100 mL of 2.5 mg/mL working solution is to be prepared, you can first prepare 0.5% CMC Na solution by measuring 0.5 g CMC Na and dissolve it in 100 mL ddH2O to obtain a clear solution; then add 250 mg of the product to 100 mL 0.5% CMC Na solution, to make the suspension solution (2.5 mg/mL, ready for use in animals).

View More

Oral Formulation 3: Dissolved in PEG400
Oral Formulation 4: Suspend in 0.2% Carboxymethyl cellulose
Oral Formulation 5: Dissolve in 0.25% Tween 80 and 0.5% Carboxymethyl cellulose
Oral Formulation 6: Mixing with food powders

---

Note: Please be aware that the above formulations are for reference only. InvivoChem strongly recommends customers to read literature methods/protocols carefully before determining which formulation you should use for in vivo studies, as different compounds have different solubility properties and have to be formulated differently.

---

 (Please use freshly prepared in vivo formulations for optimal results.)