RICE HUSK AS POTENTIAL RESOURCE FOR BIOMEDICAL APPLICATIONS: A REVIEW

Abstract

Rice husk (RH) is the by-product of the rice milling industry, and its primary disposal via burning can lead to detrimental environmental implications. While literature primarily focused on the potential of its silica component, the cellulosic constituent, which can be of applied value in the biomedical field, appears sparsely reported. Therefore, this review paper critically discusses both the silica and cellulose components of RH investigated for various biomedical uses (adsorbents, drug delivery systems, antioxidant and antitumor activities), and provides the elaborative overview of the chemical extraction methods for both components, while highlighting the needs for optimizing the extraction process for large scale industrial considerations. Discussions on several limitations of the current knowledge that mitigated readiness for biomedical applications (e.g. inadequate data from animal studies and clinical trials, as well as the lack of analytical confirmatory tests and non-standardized methods) are also presented. Considering the medicinal properties of RH, the possible utilization of its cellulose content as a new biomaterial for wound healing application is theorized. The information gathered here justifies the use of this agricultural biomass as a new source of economic wealth for biomedical industries, while minimizing the environmental threat that can be associated with its disposal.