ABSTRACT
Banana starch obtained from unripe fruits of Musa sapientium L. has been evaluated as disintegrant in comparison with official corn starch. The physicochemical and material properties of the starches were evaluated and the properties of paracetamol tablet prepared by wet granulation using the starches as endo-disintegrants were determined. The results indicated that the physicochemical and material properties of banana starch varied considerably from corn starch. Scanning electron microscopy showed that banana starch granules were oval or ellipsoidal in shape while corn starch granules were angular or polyhedral in shape. The crushing strength (CS) of paracetamol tablets increased with disintegrant concentration while friability decreased. Tablets containing banana starch exhibited higher CS but lower friability than those containing corn starch. Paracetamol tablets containing banana starch had longer disintegration times than those containing corn starch although there were no significant (p >0.05) differences in the disintegration time of tablets. The results showed that banana starch compared well with corn starch as disintegrant.
ABSTRACT
In this study, the effect of anhydrous calcium phosphate, an efflorescent pharmaceutical powder of reduced moisture content, ideal for moisture-sensitive materials; and the comparative binding effects of maize starch, polyvinylpyrrolidone and gelatin were investigated in the tablet formulation of the deliquescent crude extract of the leaves of Vernonia galamensis (Asteraceae). Materials used include; anhydrous calcium phosphate (BDH chemicals Ltd. Poole, England), maize starch and gelatin (May and Baker, Germany). Granule and tablet analyses were carried out according to standard procedures in the BP 2007. Preparations of the binders at varying concentrations of 2.5, 5.0 and 7.5% w/v were used to produce the granules by wet granulation method and compressed into tablets at 26.25KN. The mechanical strengths and drug release properties of the designed tablets were assessed using the crushing strengthfriability, disintegration time ratio (CSFR:DT) and dissolution rate. An increase in binder concentration led to an increase in crushing strength, decrease in friability and increase in disintegration time of the tablets. Anhydrous calcium phosphate used as diluent along with polyvinylpyrrolidone as binder produced the best quality tablets in terms of the CSFR: DT ratio and dissolution rate as compared to the diluent used with maize starch and gelatin as binders.