Sodium starch glycolate is the sodium salt of carboxymethyl ether. Starch glycolates are of rice, potato, wheat or corn origin. Sodium starch glycoate is a white to off-white, tasteless, odorless, relatively free flowing powder. Sodium starch glycolate is used as a pharmaceutical grade dissolution excipient for tablets and capsules. Sodium starch glycolate absorbs water rapidly, resulting in swelling which leads to rapid disintegration of tablets and granules. It is used as a disintegrant, a suspending agent and as a gelling agent. Without a disintegrant, tablets may not dissolve appropriately and may effect the amount of active ingredient absorbed, thereby decreasing effectiveness.