ABSTRACT
Compact -forming ability of a multi-component paracetamol tablet formulations with varying amounts of modified Maize Starch incorporated as external disintegrant was studied with a view to know the influence of the increase on compaction characteristics and the quality of resulting tablets. Three formulations coded B-1, B-2 and B-3 with similar constituents but varying amount of modified Maize starch were designed and prepared by wet granulation process to yield granules that were compacted into tablets. Data and information were collected from out-of-die method; using hand operated tablet press at 5 predetermined pressures and fitted into Heckel plots. Compaction behaviours and mechanical properties of the tablets were evaluated. The three formulations showed consolidation by deformation but at different levels. Sample B-3 which has highest concentration of modified Maize starch seemed to perform on the average better than B-2 and B-1. Mean yield pressure vindicated the ease of compression of granules to be B-3 > B-1 > B-2. It is inferred that modified Maize starch could be used to moderate the compaction characteristics of pharmaceutical agglomerates and mechanical properties of resulting tablets. Lower values of yield pressure, constant A, and relative density of B-3 justified the increase in concentration to be beneficial to the formulation. B-3 had highest concentration of modified Maize starch and showed less resistance to consolidation, decrease in granules fragmentation and fast onset of deformation
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE@#To investigate the antiplasmodial activity of the extracts of Phyllanthus amarus (P. amarus) on Plasmodium yoelii (P. yoelii) (a resistant malaria parasite strain used in animal studies) infection in mice.@*METHODS@#The aqueous and ethanol extracts of the whole plant of Phyllanthus amarus was administered to Swiss albino mice at doses of 200 mg/kg/day, 400 mg/kg/day, 800 mg/kg/day and 1600 mg/kg/day and the prophylactic and chemotherapeutic effect of the extracts against P. yoelii infection in mice was investigated and compared with those of standard antimalaria drugs used in the treatment of malaria parasite infection. Acute toxicity test was carried out in mice to determine the safety of the plant extract when administered orally.@*RESULTS@#The results showed that the extracts demonstrated a dose-dependent prophylactic and chemotherapeutic activity with the aqueous extracts showing slightly higher effect than the ethanol extract. The antiplasmodial effects of the extracts were comparable to the standard prophylactic and chemotherapeutic drugs used in chloroquine resistant Plasmodium infection although the activity depended on the dose of the extract administered. The extracts showed prophylactic effect by significantly delaying the onset of infection with the suppression of 79% at a dose of 1600 mg/kg/day.@*CONCLUSIONS@#The results obtained indicate that the extracts of the whole plant of P. amarus possess repository and chemotherapeutic effects against resistant strains of P. yoelii in Swiss albino mice. The findings justify the use of the extract of P. amarus in traditional medicine practice, for the treatment of malaria infections.