D-Sorbitol is a six-carbon sugar alcohol that can be used as a sugar substitute. It also functions as a stabilizing excipient, isotonicity agent, sweetener, humectant, thickener, and dietary supplement. It can be produced from glucose or sucrose through high-temperature hydrogenation or enzymatically by bacteria such as Zymomonas mobilis and Candida boidini.
- Used as a fast disintegrant in capsules.
- Functions as a plasticizer in capsule shells and tablet film coatings.
- Serves as a sugar substitute and drug stabilizer in oral liquids.
- Enhances solubility of drugs like indomethacin.
- Employed as a stabilizing excipient and/or isotonicity agent in liquid and lyophilized parenteral protein formulations.
- Used as a humectant in topical formulations.