Compression, mechanical and release properties of chloroquine phosphate tablets containing corn and trifoliate yam starches as binders

PURPOSE : A study was made of the binding properties of trifoliate yam starch; obtained from Dioscorea dumetorum (Pax); in chloroquine phosphate tablet formulations in comparison with official corn starch. METHOD: Compressional properties were analyzed using density measurements and compression equations of Heckel and Kawakita. The mechanical properties of the tablets were assessed using the crushing strength and friability of the tablets; while drug release properties of the tablets were assessed using disintegration and dissolution times. RESULTS : Tablet formulations containing trifoliate yam starch exhibited faster onset and higher amount of plastic deformation during compression than those containing corn starch. The crushing strength; disintegration and dissolution times of the tablets increased with binder concentration while friability values decreased. Trifoliate yam starch produced tablets with stronger mechanical properties and longer disintegration and dissolution times than those containing corn starch. CONCLUSION : Trifoliate yam starch would be a better alternative to corn starch in producing uncoated tablets for which high bond strength is essential

Comparative Analysis of Eight Brands of Sulfadoxine-Pyrimethamine Tablets

PURPOSE : The aim of the present study is to investigate the physicochemical equivalence of eight brands of tablets containing sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine (antimalarial drug combination) sourced from different retail Pharmacy outlets in the Nigerian market. METHOD : The quality and physicochemical equivalence of eight different brands of sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine combination tablets were assessed. The assessment included the evaluation of uniformity of weight; friability; crushing strength; disintegration and dissolution tests as well as chemical assay of the tablets. RESULTS : All the eight brands of the tablets passed the British Pharmacopoeia (BP) standards for uniformity of weight; disintegration and crushing strength. Three of the eight brands failed the friability test. One of the brands did not comply with the standard assay of content of active ingredients while another brand did not comply with the USP specifications for dissolution test for sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine tablets. There were no significant differences in the amounts of pyrimethamine and sulfadoxine released from the different brands (P greater than 0.05). CONCLUSION: Only three brands (registered by NAFDAC) out of the eight brands of sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine tablets that were analysed passed all the BP quality specifications and were physically and chemically equivalent. This study highlights the need for constant market monitoring of new products to ascertain their equivalency to the innovator product