RESUMO
Pennisetum glaucum L (Millet) starch is a potential source of direct-compression excipient for use in tableting but has not been commercially explored. The aim of this study was to investigate the compaction properties of pregelatinized freeze (PFDMS) and oven-dried (PODMS) millet starch in directly compressed Chloroquine tablet formulation and compare with the native starch (NMS) and Avicel®. Tablets were directly compressed using the starch in drug-diluent ratios of 1:2, 1:4 and 1:9 and evaluated by compaction, mechanical and disintegration properties. The result showed that PFDMS and PODMS starch samples had higher flow properties in comparison to the native starch and PFDMS also gave the fastest onset of plastic deformation. Tablets formulated with PFDMS and PODMS showed acceptable mechanical and disintegration properties comparable with Avicel® in the order Avicel® > PFDMS > PODMS > NMS. The pregelatinized starch samples can be substituted for Avicel® for direct compression.