ABSTRACT
Background: Materials with suspending properties like mucilage have been obtained from natural sources and used to stabilize liquid formulations containing poorly dispersible solids.Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the suspending properties of Cissus rubiginosa fruit mucilage (CRM) in paracetamol oral suspension.Materials and Methods: Paracetamol suspensions containing 0.5, 1.0, 1.5 and 2.0 %w/v CRM were prepared and compared with suspensions formulated with same concentrations of compound tragacanth (CT). The sedimentation volume, ease of re-dispersibility, effect of shear rate on viscosity, flow rate and drug release pattern were studied as assessment parameters.Results: Characterization studies of the suspensions revealed that there was a corresponding increase in the viscosity of the suspension with increase in the concentration of the gum. Paracetamol suspension having CRM had significantly higher viscosity (p<0.05) compared to those containing CT. The viscosities of all suspensions decreased with increase in shear rate. There was decrease in flow rate as the viscosity of the suspension increased.Paracetamol suspensions containing CRM were easily re-dispersible with minimum agitation at concentration less than 1.0 %. Drug release from the suspension containing 0.5 % CRM was rapid while release from suspension containing higher concentrations of CRM occurred at a later time, eliciting a delay in drug release.Conclusion: This study has been able to elucidate the ability of Cissus rubiginosa fruit mucilage to act as a suspending agent in pharmaceutical suspensions
Subject(s)
Acetaminophen , Cissus/chemistry , Nigeria , Plant MucilageABSTRACT
Cissus quadrangularis Linn grows in Savannah areas in Africa (Cameroon; Mali; Mauritania; Senegal; etc). In traditional medicine; the plant is used to treat anorexia; asthma; sickle cells; colds; pains; malaria; asthma and as an analgesic. In vivo animal models of epilepsy (maximal electroshock; n-methyl -d-aspartate; pentylenetetrazol; isonicotinic hydrazid acid and strychnine -induced convulsions or turning behavior) and insomnia (diazepam -induced sleep) were used. The aqueous extract of the stems of C. quadrangularis strongly increased the total sleep time induced by diazepam (50 mg/kg i.p.). It also protected mice against maximal electroshock; pentylenetetrazol; strychnine and n-methyl-d-aspartate-induced seizures or turning behavior and delayed the onset time of seizures induced by isonicotinic hydrazid acid. The results lead to the conclusion that the extract of C. quadrangularis possesses anticonvulsant and sedative properties in mice and could explain its use in traditional medicine in Africa; in the treatment of insomnia and epilepsy