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Clinical pharmacy PharmD program Third level Phytochemistry-1 (PG-504)

▪ It is present in high percentages in many used natural products:

Used Natural % of Cellulose

Wood 50
Paper 50
jute (Bast fibers) 60 – 70

Flax (Bast fibers) 80
Cotton fibers 98

▪ In cell walls of plant, it is found in association with other polysaccharides of

related structure (hemicelluloses and pectin) and with non-carbohydrate

substances, of which the most important is lignin.

▪ Cellulose Structure:

• Cellulose molecule consists of -D-glucopyranose units which are linked by

(1➔4)-linkage in a shape of long chain. It is a linear polysaccharide, no

branching. It may contain from 300 to 3000 glucose units in one molecule

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