Author(s):
Swaraj C. Kekan, Chandrakant D. Khairnar, Devdatta D. Khairnar, Kunal S. Gawali, Rushikesh L. Bachhav, Khemchand R. Surana
Email(s):
khemchandsurana411@gmail.com
DOI:
10.52711/0975-4377.2025.00019 
Address:
Swaraj C. Kekan, Chandrakant D. Khairnar, Devdatta D. Khairnar, Kunal S. Gawali, Rushikesh L. Bachhav, Khemchand R. Surana*
Shreeshakti Shaikshanik Sanstha’s, Divine College of Pharmacy, Satana, Nashik, Maharashtra, India – 423301.
*Corresponding Author
Published In:
Volume - 17,
Issue - 2,
Year - 2025
ABSTRACT:
A distinctive ingredient in breast milk, numerous baby formulas, and dairy products, lactose is also employed extensively in medicinal goods to ensure optimal lactose digestion and to provide galactose for the creation of liver glycogen. Carl Wilhelm Scheele, a Swedish chemist, discovered lactose in milk and isolated it for the first time. The Latin word lac is where the term "lactose" originates. Cellular metabolism's structural features make it a crucial topic for understanding the vital functions that take place in living things. We have seen that students find it challenging to master biochemistry, the cellular foundations of an organism, and the connection between cellular metabolism and the functioning of multicellular creatures in introductory biology courses. In essence, they are unable to comprehend, in terms of biochemistry, the relationship between their macroscopical observations and the ways in which the cell utilizes certain nutrients. Under typical circumstances, the intestinal mucous cells produce the enzyme lactase, which breaks down lactose, the milk sugar, into its two monomers, glucose and galactose. Some people are unable to absorb lactose because they cease producing lactase at the age of four. When this occurs, lactose enters the large intestine, where it is hydrolysed by bacteria to produce glucose. The person has diarrhoea and flatulence as a result of the lactose building up and fermenting. Based on our observations, students frequently mistake lactose intolerance for other digestive disorders, like celiac disease. Lactobacillus bulgaricus shares the ability of gut bacteria to hydrolyse and metabolize lactose. Lactose is a member of the Lactobacillus genus of bacteria that is used in the milk business to make yoghurt. However, the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, a popular eukaryotic microbe used primarily in bakeries, is unable to hydrolyse lactose, just like the intestinal cells of patients with this condition. The yoghurt bacterium and baker's yeast are suitable models to be utilized as equivalents of the intestinal mucous cells and the bacteria found in the large intestine, respectively, due to their metabolic traits.
Cite this article:
Lactose: A Multifunctional Excipient and Nutrient in the Dairy and Pharmaceutical Industries. Swaraj C. Kekan, Chandrakant D. Khairnar, Devdatta D. Khairnar, Kunal S. Gawali, Rushikesh L. Bachhav, Khemchand R. Surana. Research Journal of Pharmaceutical Dosage Forms and Technology. 2025; 17(2):130-6. doi: 10.52711/0975-4377.2025.00019
Cite(Electronic):
Lactose: A Multifunctional Excipient and Nutrient in the Dairy and Pharmaceutical Industries. Swaraj C. Kekan, Chandrakant D. Khairnar, Devdatta D. Khairnar, Kunal S. Gawali, Rushikesh L. Bachhav, Khemchand R. Surana. Research Journal of Pharmaceutical Dosage Forms and Technology. 2025; 17(2):130-6. doi: 10.52711/0975-4377.2025.00019 Available on: https://rjpdft.com/AbstractView.aspx?PID=2025-17-2-7
REFERENCES:
1. Hebb GA, Dickhoff BH. Application of lactose in the pharmaceutical industry. In: Lactose. Academic Press; 2019. p. 175–229.
2. Swagerty DL Jr, Walling AD, Klein RM. Lactose intolerance. Am Fam Physician. 2002; 65(2): 1845–51.
3. Fox PF, Uniacke-Lowe T, McSweeney PL, O'Mahony JA. Lactose. Dairy Chem Biochem. 2015; 3:21–68.
4. Holsinger VH. Lactose. In: Fundamentals of Dairy Chemistry. Boston, MA: Springer US; 1988. p. 279–342.
5. Suarez FL, Savaiano DA, Levitt MD. Review article: The treatment of lactose intolerance. Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 1995 Dec; 9(5): 589–97.
6. de Verse M, Sieber R, Stransky M. Lactose in der menschlichen Rearing [Lactose in humannutrition]. Schweiz Med Wochenschr. 1998 Sep 19; 128(6):1393–400. German.
7. Kretchmer N. Lactose and lactase. Sci Am. 1972 Oct; 227(7): 71–8.
8. Kou X, Chan LW, Steckel H, Heng PW. Physico-chemical aspects of lactose for inhalation. Adv Drug Deliv Rev. 2012 Mar 15;64(8):220–32. doi: 10.1016/j.addr.2011.11.004. Epub 2011 Nov 15.
9. Janssen PHM, Berardi A, Kok JH, Thornton AW, Dickhoff BHJ. The impact of lactose type on disintegration: an integral study on porosity and polymorphism. Eur J Pharm Biopharm. 2022 Nov; 180:251–9. doi: 10.1016/j.ejpb.2022.10.012.
10. Torres JKF, Stephani R, Tavares GM, de Carvalho AF, Costa RGB, de Almeida CER, Almeida MR, de Oliveira LFC, Schuck P, Perrone ÍT. Technological aspects of lactose-hydrolysed milk powder. Food Res Int. 2017 Nov; 101:45–53.
11. Seki N, Saito H. Lactose as a source for lactulose and other functional lactose derivatives. Int Dairy J. 2012; 22(12): 110–5.
12. Seki N, Saito H. Lactose as a source for lactulose and other functional lactose derivatives. Int Dairy J. 2012; 22(13):110–5.
13. Barbano DM, Lynch JM, Fleming JR. Direct and indirect determination of true protein content of milk by Kjeldahl analysis: collaborative study. J Assoc Off Anal Chem. 1991; 74(14):281–8.
14. Haque K, Roos YH. Crystallization and X-ray diffraction of spray-dried and freeze-dried amorphous lactose. Carbohydr Res. 2005; 340(2): 293–301.
15. Whittier EO. Lactose: a review. Chem Rev. 1925;2(1):85–125.
16. M. Kranthi Kumar Reddy, B. Narasimha Rao, K. Ravindra Reddy. Study on Effect of Excipients in Enhancing the Solubility of Nateglinide by Solid Dispersions. Asian J. Pharm. Res. 2012; 2(4): 144-147.
17. Keerthi Manukonda, Rama Rao N, Santhosh Aruna M, Lakshmi Prasanna J. Solid Dispersions-An Approach to Enhance the Dissolution Rate of Clopidogrel Bisulphate. Asian J. Res. Pharm. Sci. 2014; 4(4): 165-168.
18. Salma Banu S.K., Venkateswara Rao T. Design and Development of Sustained Release Bilayered Tablets of Glipizide. Research J. Pharma. Dosage Forms and Tech. 2012; 4(1):24-31.
19. Patel Chirag J, Asija Rajesh, Asija Sangeeta, Mangukia Dhruv K, Patel Jaimin R, Kanu Patel. Development and Evaluation of Self Pore Forming Osmotic Tablets of Nifedipine. Research J. Pharma. Dosage Forms and Tech. 2012; 4(4): 207-210.
20. Praveen Kumar Uppala, K. Atchuta Kumar, Murali Krishna, U. Upendra Rao. Formulation and Evaluation of Israpidine Extended-Release Matrix Tablets. Res. J. Pharm. Dosage Form. & Tech. 2016; 8(4): 277-291.
21. R. R. Shah, M. S. Kondawar, S. S. Shinde, N. D. Shah. Formulation and Evaluation of Spray-dried Combination Respirable Powder Based on Selection of Excipients for Pulmonary Delivery: Comparison between Lactose and Mannitol. Research J. Pharm. and Tech. 2011; 4(10): 1604-1614.
22. T. Sonica, T. E. G. K. Murthy. Studies on the Influence of Different Coprocessing Excipients on the Flow and Dissolution kinetics of Donepezil HCl. Research J. Pharm. and Tech. 2013; 6(8): 868-873.
23. Bonshikachatterjee, Nivetha. A, Mohanasrinivasan. V. Immobilization of β-galactosidase in Chitosan-Alginate composite scaffolds and optimization of lactose hydrolysis. Research J. Pharm. and Tech. 2018; 11(4): 1480-1485.
24. P. Jitendra kumar, Y. Indira Muzib, Gitanjali Misra. Formulation and Evaluation of Pulsatile Drug Delivery of Lovastatin. Research J. Pharm. and Tech. 2018; 11(7): 2797-2803
25. Gaviraj EN, Ramarao A, Veeresham C, Shivakumar B, Kalyane NV, Biradar SM. Inhibitory activities of some Folklore remedies on Aldose reductase of rat lens and generation of advanced glycation end products. Research J. Pharm. and Tech. 2019; 12(4): 1947-1952.
26. Sriram B. S, Ravichandra.V, Rajendra Holla, Shailaja Moodithaya, Kishan Prasad. An Experimental Study Evaluating the dose of oral D-Galactose on aging Induction in wistar albino male Rats. Research J. Pharm. and Tech. 2020; 13(7): 3289-3292.