Chemical Properties
Maltose occurs as white crystals or as a crystalline powder. It is
odorless and has a sweet taste approximately 30% that of sucrose.
Chemical Properties
White crystalline powder
Uses
A disaccharide commonly found in foods and commonly utilized in brewing processes.
Production Methods
Maltose monohydrate is prepared by the enzymatic degradation of
starch.
General Description
Maltose monohydrate is commonly used as a tablet filler or excipient in pharmaceutical industry.
Pharmaceutical secondary standards for application in quality control, provide pharma laboratories and manufacturers with a convenient and cost-effective alternative to the preparation of in-house working standards.
Pharmaceutical Applications
Maltose is a disaccharide carbohydrate widely used in foods and
pharmaceuticals. In parenteral products, maltose may be used as a
source of sugar, particularly for diabetic patients.
Crystalline maltose is used as a direct-compression tablet
excipient in chewable and nonchewable tablets.
Biochem/physiol Actions
Maltose is a disaccharide containing two glucose molecules with an α(1→4) glycosidic linkage. Maltose can be derived from starch in food through the action of amylase. Maltose can be found in many food products, including beer, cereals, and pasta.
Safety
Maltose is used in oral and parenteral pharmaceutical formulations
and is generally regarded as an essentially nontoxic and nonirritant
material. However, there has been a single report of a liver
transplantation patient with renal failure who developed hyponatremia
following intravenous infusion of normal immunoglobulin
in 10% maltose. The effect, which recurred on each of four
successive infusions, resembled that of hyperglycemia and was
thought to be due to accumulation of maltose and other osmotically
active metabolites in the extracellular fluid.
LD50 (mouse, IV): 26.8 g/kg
LD50 (mouse, SC): 38.6 g/kg
LD50 (rabbit, IV): 25.2 g/kg
LD50 (rat, IP): 30.6 g/kg
LD50 (rat, IV): 15.3 g/kg
LD50 (rat, oral): 34.8 g/kg
storage
Maltose should be stored in a well-closed container in a cool, dry
place.
Purification Methods
Purify maltose by chromatography from aqueous solution on to a charcoal/Celite (1:1) column, wash it with water to remove glucose and other monosaccharides, then elute it with aqueous 75% EtOH. Crystallise it from water, aqueous EtOH or EtOH containing 1% nitric acid. Dry it as the monohydrate at room temperature under vacuum over H2SO4 or P2O5. Also purify it by dissolving it in MeOH, evaporating to a syrup which on standing for 12hours in contact with 1/10th its volume of H2O gives crystals of the monohydrate. Its iodine number is 55.5. The osazone has m 200o(dec) and [] D 20 +58o (c 1.4, H2O). [Howarth et al. J Chem Soc 793 1937, Beilstein 17 III/IV 3057, 17 V 189.]
Incompatibilities
Maltose may react with oxidizing agents. A Maillard-type reaction
may occur between maltose and compounds with a primary amine
group, e.g. glycine, to form brown-colored products.
Regulatory Status
In the USA, maltose is considered as a food by the FDA and is
therefore not subject to food additive and GRAS regulations.
Included in the FDA Inactive Ingredients Database (oral solutions).
Included in the Canadian List of Acceptable Non-medicinal
Ingredients. Included in parenteral products available in a number
of countries worldwide.
