sodium chondroitin sulfate derived from fermentation of Escherichia coli is a product of the sulphation of chondroitin (a ubiquitous heteropolysaccharide) isolated from a fermentation process and is a mixture of polysaccharides in which the major components are the mono-sulphated species with substitution primarily at the 4- or 6- position of N acetyl-galactosamine and is analogous to chondroitin sulphate isolated from traditional animal cartilage.
Table 1. Ingredient specific requirements
Test
Method reference
Acceptance criteria
Description
Characteristics
Identification
Assay
Appearance
Visual
White to off-white powder
Clarity and Colour of Solution
USP Chondroitin Sulfate Sodium
≤0.35
Specific optical rotation (°) [3% aqueous solution]
USP <781S>
– 2⁰ to – 12⁰ (dried basis)
Loss on drying
USP <731>
≤10.0 %
Residue on ignition
USP <281>
20.0 to 30.0% (dried basis)
pH [1% aqueous solution]
USP <791>
5.5 to 7.5
Intrinsic viscosity
Ph. Eur. sodium chondroitin sulfate
0.01 to 0.15 m3/kg
Infrared
USP <197K>
The spectra of the sample matches with the corresponding reference standard