Characterization of a nanoparticulate exopolysaccharide from Leuconostoc holzapfelii KM01 and its potential application in drug encapsulation.

Fermentation of Lactic Acid Bacteria (LAB) is considered to be a sustainable approach for polysaccharide production. Herein, exopolysaccharide (EPS)-producing LAB strain KM01 was isolated from Thai fermented dessert, Khao Mak, which was then identified as Leuconostoc holzapfelii. High-performance anion-exchange chromatography, nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy suggested that the KM01 EPS comprises α-1,6-linked glucosides. The molecular weight of KM01 EPS was around 500 kDa, but it can form large aggregates formation (MW > 2000 kDa) in an aqueous solution, judged by transmission electron microscopy and dynamic light scattering to be around 150 nm in size. Furthermore, this KM01 EPS form highly viscous hydrogels at concentrations above 5% (w/v). The formation of hydrogels and nanoparticle of KM01 EPS was found to be reversible. Finally, the suitability of KM01 EPS for biomedical applications was demonstrated by its lack of cytotoxicity and its ability to form complexes with quercetin. Unlike the common α-1,6-linked dextran, KM01 EPS can enhance the solubility of quercetin significantly.

Silver carp scale gelatins for the stabilization of fish oil-loaded emulsions.

Herein, three types of silver carp scale gelatins were extracted, and their molecular weight distribution, structural properties, functional properties and emulsifying properties were investigated and discussed. Acetic acid-extracted gelatin (AAG), hot water-extracted gelatin (HWG), and pepsin enzyme-extracted gelatin (PEG) showed similar and four clear bands in sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis pattern, whereas they showed different ß chain amounts and ß-sheet percentages. The water-holding capacity values (g/g of gelatin) were: AAG (16.8 ± 1.1) > HWG (14.0 ± 0.7) ≈ PEG (13.5 ± 1.6). The fat-binding capacity values (g/g of gelatin) were: AAG (11.8 ± 0.3) > HWG (9.5 ± 1.3) > PEG (5.3 ± 0.4). Emulsion droplet sizes and creaming index values decreased with the increase of gelatin concentrations for all the fish oil-loaded emulsions stabilized by three types of gelatins. Compared with PEG, AAG and HWG show similar and higher emulsion stability at high gelatin concentration (10 mg/mL). The stabilization mechanism of fish oil-loaded silver carp scale gelatin-stabilized emulsions involved an "extraction method-protein molecular weight distribution-protein molecular structure-molecular interaction-emulsibility-droplet structure-emulsion stability" route. This work would be beneficial for the research on the relationship of structure and function of gelatin and to the comprehensive utilization of aquatic products.

Synthesis of alternan-stabilized zinc nanoparticles: morphological, thermal, antioxidant and antimicrobial characterization.

This study aimed to synthesize zinc nanoparticles with antimicrobial and antioxidant activities using alternan (ZnNPs-Alt) produced by Lactobacillus reuteri E81 as the stabilizing agent. For the characterization of the ZnNPs-Alt, UV-vis spectroscopy, SEM, TEM and EDX analysis, XRD, FTIR and DSC analysis were applied. The functional role of ZnNPs-Alt was tested by determination of their antioxidant activities by DPPH and CUPRAC methodologies and their antibacterial and antifungal activities. Results of this study demonstrated that alternan was utilized as a successful stabilizer to produce crystalline, thermally stabile ZnNPs-Alt with a particle size of ∼ 100 nm. Importantly, strong antioxidant and antimicrobial activities were observed for ZnNPs-Alt in a concentration dependent manner. These findings confirmed the role of alternan as a stabilizing agent for the production of ZnNPs-Alt with functional roles.

Green Synthesis of Antileishmanial and Antifungal Silver Nanoparticles Using Corn Cob Xylan as a Reducing and Stabilizing Agent.

Corn cob is an agricultural byproduct that produces an estimated waste burden in the thousands of tons annually, but it is also a good source of xylan, an important bioactive polysaccharide. Silver nanoparticles containing xylan (nanoxylan) were produced using an environmentally friendly synthesis method. To do this, we extracted xylan from corn cobs using an ultrasound technique, which was confirmed by both chemical and NMR analyses. This xylan contained xylose, glucose, arabinose, galactose, mannose, and glucuronic acid in a molar ratio of 50:21:14:9:2.5:2.5, respectively. Nanoxylan synthesis was analyzed using UV-vis spectroscopy at kmax = 469 nm and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), which confirmed the presence of both silver and xylan in the nanoxylan product. Dynamic light scattering (DLS) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) revealed that the nanoxylan particles were ~102.0 nm in size and spherical in shape, respectively. DLS also demonstrated that nanoxylan was stable for 12 months and coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES) showed that the nanoxylan particles were 19% silver. Nanoxylan reduced Leishmania amazonensis promastigote viability with a half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) value of 25 µg/mL, while xylan alone showed no effective. Additionally, nanoxylan exhibited antifungal activity against Candida albicans (MIC = 7.5 µg/mL), C. parapsilosis (MIC = 7.5 µg/mL), and Cryptococcus neoformans (MIC = 7.5 µg/mL). Taken together, these data suggest that it is possible to synthesize silver nanoparticles using xylan and that these nanoxylan exert improved antileishmanial and antifungal activities when compared to the untreated polysaccharide or silver nitrate used for their synthesis. Thus, nanoxylan may represent a promising new class of antiparasitic agents for use in the treatment of these microorganisms.

The physiological functions and pharmaceutical applications of inulin: A review.

Inulin (IN), a fructan-type plant polysaccharide, is widely found in nature. The major plant sources of IN include chicory, Jerusalem artichoke, dahlia etc. Studies have found that IN possessed a wide array of biological activities, e.g. as a prebiotic to improve the intestinal microbe environment, regulating blood sugar, regulating blood lipids, antioxidant, anticancer, immune regulation and so on. Currently, IN is widely used in the food and pharmaceutical industries. IN can be used as thickener, fat replacer, sweetener and water retaining agent in the food industry. IN also can be applied in the pharmaceutics as stabilizer, drug carrier, and auxiliary therapeutic agent for certain diseases such as constipation and diabetes. This paper reviews the physiological functions of IN and its applications in the field of pharmaceutics, analyzes its present research status and future research direction. This review will serve as a one-in-all resource for the researchers who are interested to work on IN.

Green isolation and physical modification of pineapple stem waste starch as pharmaceutical excipient.

The waste of inedible parts of pineapple, particularly in tropical countries, contributes to environmental burden. This study aimed to utilize pineapple stem waste as a source of starch-based pharmaceutical excipient. The starch was isolated from pineapple stem waste using a simple process without applying harsh chemicals. The isolated starch (PSS) was then physically modified through gelatinization and spray drying to improve its physical properties. Starch characteristics were identified by FTIR, TGA, and XRD analysis. The SEM imaging showed morphological change with reduced surface roughness due to physical modification of the starch. Decreased crystallinity of modified starch (MPS) was confirmed by our XRD results: the peaks of A-type crystalline at 2θ of 13°, 15°, 18°, and 23° were present in PSS, yet mostly absent in MPS. Thermogravimetric analysis showed that MPS behaved differently from PSS and the degradation events occurred at lower temperature. When the starch was spray-dried without prior gelatinization process, the physicochemical characteristics of spray-dried starch resembled untreated starch. Moisture content in PSS (10.66%) decreased after gelatinization to 7.3%. Potential use of MPS was demonstrated by its powder flowability (Student's t test, p < 0.05), swelling capacity (Student's t test, p < 0.05), and compaction profile. In summary, our findings demonstrated that modified pineapple starch showed better physical characteristics and quite promising as a tablet binder and disintegrant.

Evaluation of novel microcrystalline cellulose from Ensete glaucum (Roxb.) Cheesman biomass as sustainable drug delivery biomaterial.

Microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) is one of the most important functional excipient in Pharmaceutical industries. A renewable biomass from Ensete glaucum (Roxb.) was investigated as a potential source of a novel functional MCC. MCC was prepared by a simple, dilute acid hydrolysis and characterized through FTIR, DSC, XRD, along with micromeritic studies. Functional properties such as packing, rearrangement, consolidation and compactibility of the prepared MCC were also evaluated in view of its application as drug delivery biomaterial. Results suggest that the prepared MCC exhibit properties comparable to commercially available standard MCC. From Kawakita and Heckel plots, it was observed that the new MCC consolidates better than the standard MCC. Disintegration efficiency test also indicates that the novel MCC functions as a better tablet disintegrant to the standard MCC indicating the potential of Ensete glaucum (Roxb.) as a green resource for preparation of the low cost, functional and sustainable carbohydrate polymer.

Evaluation of fast disintegrating tablets of paracetamol prepared from a blend of croscarmellose sodium and Pleurotus tuber-regium powder.

The study investigated the combination effects of the mixture of croscarmellose sodium and Pleurotus tuber-regium powder on the granules and tableting parameters of paracetamol tablets. Five batches (A-E) of paracetamol tablets were formulated using wet granulation method with various combination ratios of croscarmellose sodium and Pleurotus tuber-regium powder as disintegrant incorporated both intra- and extra granularly. Their granule properties such as bulk and tapped densities, angle of repose, Carr's index, Hausner's ratio and post compression parameters such as friability, hardness, disintegration time and drug release profiles were evaluated. The results showed a decrease in disintegration time with increasing concentration of Pleurotus tuber-regium powder with disintegration times < 3.58 min. There was an increase in hardness (values > 4.34 kp) and a decrease in friability (values < 0.6 %) of the tablets with increasing concentrations of Pleurotus tuber-regium. All the tablets exhibited comparable drug release profiles with over 80 % of their drugs released in 1 h. Harder and less friable fast disintegrating tablets of paracetamol can be obtained with Pleurotus tuber-regium powder in combination with croscarmellose sodium. The combination of croscarmellose sodium and Pleurotus tuber-regium possesses potentiative effect on their disintegrant activity.

Separation and identification of polymeric dispersants in detergents by two-dimensional liquid chromatography.

Polymeric dispersants are an important ingredient in many consumer products. Their separations and identifications in final product formulation can be very challenging due to the presence of multiple polymeric dispersants at different levels and the presence of other polymeric and small-molecule components. In this study, using nearly comprehensive two-dimensional liquid chromatography (2D-LC), various water-soluble polymer and co-polymer dispersants were separated with aqueous size exclusion chromatography (SEC) in the first dimension (1D) and gradient elution reversed-phase liquid chromatography (RPLC) in the second dimension (2D). Detection of the polymeric dispersants was accomplished by evaporative light scattering detector (ELSD). A large ID (8.0 mm) SEC column used in common one-dimensional SEC practices was directly adopted in the 2D setup for rapid method development. A close representation of fully comprehensive 2D separation was achieved even with 60% of 1D eluent diverted to waste, demonstrating the flexibility and versatility of having SEC in 1D for two dimensional separation of polymers. Important method parameters, such as 2D column dimensions and flow rate, gradient conditions, and buffer pH were studied. Practical aspects of routine industrial applications such as solvent consumption and analysis time were also considered. This method was exploited for quick identification of polymeric dispersants in commercial detergent samples. Nine detergent samples were screened and polymeric dispersants and additional polymer features were detected in the samples.

Pea soluble polysaccharides obtained from two enzyme-assisted extraction methods and their application as acidified milk drinks stabilizers.

The objective of this work was characterize and evaluate the protein-stabilizing property of pea soluble polysaccharide (PSPS) extracted from pea by-products using spray-drying and ethanol precipitation oven drying, obtaining PSPS-A and PSPS-B, respectively. The weight average molecular weight (Mw) of PSPS-A and PSPS-B were 625 kDa and 809 kDa, respectively. The results of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) analysis indicated that PSPS-A, PSPS-B and soybean soluble polysaccharide (SSPS) contained the same functional groups. The absolute negative charges of PSPS-A or PSPS-B in aqueous solution were slightly higher than that of SSPS at pH 2.0 to 7.0. The apparent diameter of PSPS-B (479.1 nm) was larger than that of PSPS-A (127.7 nm) and SSPS (209.5 nm) were measured by dynamic light scattering. The AFM images revealed that both PSPS-A and PSPS-B possessed star-like structures with more side chains as compared to SSPS. It was found that the addition of 0.15% PSPS-A or 0.1% PSPS-B was adequate to prevent the aggregation of protein and obtain stable dispersion. Furthermore, PSPS has a wider pH range (pH 3.6-4.6) to stabilize milk protein than SSPS (pH 3.6-4.2).

Development of essential oils as skin permeation enhancers: penetration enhancement effect and mechanism of action.

CONTEXT: Essential oils (EOs) have shown the potential to reversibly overcome the stratum corneum (SC) barrier to enhance the skin permeation of drugs. OBJECTIVE: The effectiveness of turpentine, Angelica, chuanxiong, Cyperus, cinnamon, and clove oils were investigated for the capacity and mechanism to promote skin penetration of ibuprofen. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Skin permeation studies of ibuprofen across rat abdominal skin with the presence of 3% w/v EOs were carried out; samples were withdrawn from the receptor compartment at 8, 10, 22, 24, 26, 28, 32, 36, and 48 h and analyzed for ibuprofen content by the HPLC method. The mechanisms of penetration enhancement of EOs were further evaluated by attenuated total reflection-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) analysis and determination of the properties of EOs. Moreover, the toxicities of EOs on skin cells were also measured. RESULTS: The enhancement ratio (ER) values of turpentine, Angelica, chuanxiong, Cyperus, cinnamon, clove oils and azone were determined to be 2.23, 1.83, 2.60, 2.49, 2.63 and 1.97, respectively. Revealed by ATR-FTIR analysis, a linear relationship (r = 0.9045) was found between the ER values and the total of the shift of peak position of SC lipids. Furthermore, the results of HaCaT skin cell toxicity evaluation revealed that the natural EOs possessed relatively lower skin irritation potential. CONCLUSION: Compared with azone, the investigated EOs possess significantly higher penetration enhancement effect and lower skin toxicity. EOs can promote the skin permeation of ibuprofen mainly by disturbing rather than extracting the SC lipids.

Amorphous-Amorphous Phase Separation of Freeze-Concentrated Protein and Amino Acid Excipients for Lyophilized Formulations.

The objective of this study was to elucidate the mixing state of proteins and amino acid excipients concentrated in the amorphous non-ice region of frozen solutions. Thermal analysis of frozen aqueous solutions was performed in heating scans before and after a heat treatment. Frozen aqueous solutions containing a protein (e.g., recombinant human albumin, gelatin) or a polysaccharide (dextran) and an amino acid excipient (e.g., L-arginine, L-arginine hydrochloride, L-arginine monophosphate, sodium L-glutamate) at varied mass ratios showed single or double Tg' (glass transition temperature of maximally freeze-concentrated solutes). Some mixture frozen solutions rich in the polymers maintained the single Tg' of the freeze-concentrated amorphous solute-mixture phase. In contrast, amino acid-rich mixture frozen solutions revealed two Tg's that suggested transition of concentrated non-crystalline solute-mixture phase and excipient-dominant phase. Post-freeze heat treatment induced splitting of the Tg' in some intermediate mass ratio mixture solutions. The mixing state of proteins and amino acids varied depending on their structure, salt types, mass ratio, composition of co-solutes (e.g., NaCl) and thermal history. Information on the varied mixing states should be valuable for the rational use of amino acid excipients in lyophilized protein pharmaceuticals.

IDENTIFICATION OF PHARMACEUTICAL EXCIPIENT BEHAVIOR OF CHICKPEA (CICER ARIETINUM) STARCH IN GLICLAZIDE IMMEDIATE RELEASE TABLETS.

In the past few years, there are number of researchers carrying out their research on the excipients derived from polysaccharides and some of these researches show that natural excipients are comparable and can serve as an alternative to the synthetic excipients. Hence, the objectives of this research are to characterize the naturally sourced chickpea starch powder and to study the pharmaceutical excipient behavior of chickpea starch in gliclazide immediate release (IR) tablets. In this research, the binding properties of chickpea starch were compared to that of povidone, whereas the disintegrant properties of chickpea starch were compared to those of crospovidone, croscarmellose sodium and sodium starch glycolate. Flow property of chickpea starch was assessed with the measurement of bulk density, tapped density, compressibility index and angle of repose. Calibration curve for gliclazide in phosphate buffer pH 7.4 was developed. Gliclazide IR tablets were then produced with direct compression method. Physicochemical characteristics of the tablets, including thickness, tablet weight uniformity, hardness, disintegration time and friability were evaluated. Then, in vitro dissolution studies were performed by following United States Pharmacopeia (USP) dissolution method. The dissolution results were analyzed and compared with t30, t50, dissolution efficiency (DE). Lastly, drug-excipient compatibility studies, including Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopic analysis and differential scanning calorimetric (DSC) analysis were carried out. Fair flow property was observed in the chickpea starch powder. Furthermore, the tablets produced passed all the tests in physicochemical characteristics evaluation except hardness and disintegration test. Additionally, in vitro dissolution studies show that chickpea starch acted as a disintegrant instead of a binder in gliclazide IR tablets and its disintegrant properties were comparable to those of crospovidone, croscarmellose sodium and sodium starch glycolate. Besides that, gliclazide was also compatible with the excipients used. Chickpea starch acted as a disintegrant in gliclazide IR tablets, instead of a binder. Therefore, chickpea starch can be a promising disintegrant in gliclazide IR tablets.

Extraction and Characterization of Boswellia Serrata Gum as Pharmaceutical Excipient.

BACKGROUND: This manuscript deals with the purification and characterization of Boswellia serrata gum as a suspending agent. The Boswellia serrata gum was purchased as crude material, purified and further characterized in terms of organoleptic properties and further micromeritic studies were carried out to characterize the polymer as a pharmaceutical excipient. The suspending properties of the polymer were also evaluated. The results showed that the extracted gum possesses optimum organoleptic as well as micromeritic and suspending properties. OBJECTIVES: To characterize Boswellia serrata gum as a natural excipient. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Boswellia serrata gum, paracetamol, distilled water. RESULTS: The results showed that the extracted gum possesses optimum organoleptic as well as micromeritic and suspending properties. CONCLUSIONS: It is concluded from the research work that the gum extracted from Boswellia serrata shows the presence of carbohydrates after chemical tests. All the organoleptic properties evaluated were found to be acceptable. The pH was found to be slightly acidic. Swelling Index reveals that the gum swells well in water. Total ash value was within the limits. The values of angle of repose and Carr's Index of powdered gum powder showed that the flow property was good. IR spectra confirmed the presence of alcohol, amines, ketones, anhydrides and aromatic rings. The suspending properties of Boswellia serrata gum were found to be higher as compared to gum acacia while the flow rate of Boswellia serrata gum (1% suspension) was less than gum acacia (1% suspension). The viscosity measurement of both Boswellia serrata gum suspension and gum acacia suspension showed approximately similar results.

Fabric phase sorptive extraction followed by UHPLC-MS/MS for the analysis of benzotriazole UV stabilizers in sewage samples.

A fast and sensitive sample preparation strategy using fabric phase sorptive extraction followed by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography and tandem mass spectrometry detection has been developed to analyse benzotriazole UV stabilizer compounds in aqueous samples. Benzotriazole UV stabilizer compounds are a group of compounds added to sunscreens and other personal care products which may present detrimental effects to aquatic ecosystems. Fabric phase sorptive extraction is a novel solvent minimized sample preparation approach that integrates the advantages of sol-gel derived hybrid inorganic-organic nanocomposite sorbents and the flexible, permeable and hydrophobic surface chemistry of polyester fabric. It is a highly sensitive, fast, efficient and inexpensive device that can be reused and does not suffer from coating damage, unlike SPME fibres or stir bars. In this paper, we optimized the extraction of seven benzotriazole UV filters evaluating the majority of the parameters involved in the extraction process, such as sorbent chemistry selection, extraction time, back-extraction solvent, back-extraction time and the impact of ionic strength. Under the optimized conditions, fabric phase sorptive extraction allows enrichment factors of 10 times with detection limits ranging from 6.01 to 60.7 ng L(-1) and intra- and inter-day % RSDs lower than 11 and 30 % for all compounds, respectively. The optimized sample preparation technique followed by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography and tandem mass spectrometry detection was applied to determine the target analytes in sewage samples from wastewater treatment plants with different purification processes of Gran Canaria Island (Spain). Two UV stabilizer compounds were measured in ranges 17.0-60.5 ng mL(-1) (UV 328) and 69.3-99.2 ng mL(-1) (UV 360) in the three sewage water samples analysed.

Screening of polysaccharides from tamarind, fenugreek and jackfruit seeds as pharmaceutical excipients.

The paper describes the isolation and screening of plant polysaccharides namely tamarind seed polysaccharide (TSP), fenugreek seed mucilage (FSM) and jackfruit seed starch (JFSS) from tamarind (Tamarindus indica L.) seeds, fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum L.) seeds and jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus L.) seeds, respectively. The yields of isolated dried TSP, FSM and JFSS were 47.00%, 17.36% and 18.86%, respectively. Various physicochemical properties like colour, odour, taste, solubility in water, pH and viscosity of these isolated plant polysaccharides were assessed. Isolated polysaccharide samples were subjected to some phytochemical identification tests. FTIR and (1)H NMR analyses of isolated polysaccharides were performed, which suggest the presence of sugar residues. Isolated TSP, FSM and JFSS can be used as pharmaceutical excipients in various pharmaceutical formulations.

Recent advances in exopolysaccharides from Paenibacillus spp.: production, isolation, structure, and bioactivities.

This review provides a comprehensive summary of the most recent developments of various aspects (i.e., production, purification, structure, and bioactivity) of the exopolysaccharides (EPSs) from Paenibacillus spp. For the production, in particular, squid pen waste was first utilized successfully to produce a high yield of inexpensive EPSs from Paenibacillus sp. TKU023 and P. macerans TKU029. In addition, this technology for EPS production is prevailing because it is more environmentally friendly. The Paenibacillus spp. EPSs reported from various references constitute a structurally diverse class of biological macromolecules with different applications in the broad fields of pharmacy, cosmetics and bioremediation. The EPS produced by P. macerans TKU029 can increase in vivo skin hydration and may be a new source of natural moisturizers with potential value in cosmetics. However, the relationships between the structures and activities of these EPSs in many studies are not well established. The contents and data in this review will serve as useful references for further investigation, production, structure and application of Paenibacillus spp. EPSs in various fields.

Fabrication and characterization of silk fibroin-coated liposomes for ocular drug delivery.

The unique structure and protective mechanisms of the eye result in low bioavailability of ocular drugs. Using a mucoadhesive material is an efficient solution to improve ocular drug therapeutic efficacy. This study was designed to prepare a liposomal formulation coated by a novel adhesive excipient, silk fibroin (SF), for topical ocular drug delivery. The regenerated silk fibroins (SFs) with different dissolving time were coated onto the ibuprofen-loaded liposomes. The morphology, drug encapsulation efficiency, in vitro release and in vitro corneal permeation of SF-coated liposomes (SLs) were investigated in comparison with the conventional liposome. Cellular adhesion and cytotoxicity assay of SF and SLs were tested using human corneal epithelial cells (HCEC). SLs showed sustained drug release and in vitro corneal permeation of ibuprofen as compared to drug solution and conventional liposome. The cellular fluorescence appeared after 7 min of exposure to SF, and the intensity increased sustainedly up to 12h with no detectable cytotoxicity. Higher fluorescence intensity of Nile red in SLs was observed in a short period of 15 min showing a rapid uptake. These favorable properties make SF-coated liposome be a promising ocular drug delivery system.

Acute toxicity studies of a novel excipient arabinoxylan isolated from Ispaghula (Plantago ovata) husk.

PURPOSE: The arabinoxylan from Ispaghula (Plantago ovata) husk has been proven scientifically as potential excipient. However, toxicity study of the arabinoxylan is still lacking. The present study was done to investigate the acute toxicity of arabinoxylan in two animal species. METHODS: The mice were exposed to (1 g/kg, 5 g/kg, 10 g/kg) and rabbits (2.5 g/kg, 5 g/kg) of arabinoxylan orally and observed for a period of 14 days. On day 15 hematology, serum biochemistry and necropsy was performed in mice relative organ weight calculated and histological examination was carried out. Primary dermal and eye irritation tests were carried out. Cardiac effects of isolated arabinoxylan were studied on frog heart. RESULTS: The acute administration of the arabinoxylan did not produce mortality or significant changes in, water and food consumption however body weights of mice and rabbits decreased initially with a gradual increase till day 14. Internal organs relative weights were found to be normal. Hematological biochemical and histopathological examination did not show any significant (p < 0.05) change. Primary dermal and eye irritation was not observed in treated rabbits. No change in heart rate and vascular contraction was observed in frog heart. CONCLUSION: This study has shown that acute administration of arabinoxylan may be safe.

Extraction and characterization of artocarpus integer gum as pharmaceutical excipient.

BACKGROUND: Natural polymers are widely used as excipients in pharmaceutical formulations. They are easily available, cheap and less toxic as compared to synthetic polymers. OBJECTIVES: This study involves the extraction and characterization of kathal (Artocarpus integer) gum as a pharmaceutical excipient. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Water was used as a solvent for extraction of the natural polymer. Yield was calculated with an aim to evaluate the efficacy of the process. The product was screened for the presence of Micrometric properties, and swelling index, flow behavior, surface tension, and viscosity of natural polymers were calculated. RESULTS: Using a water based extraction method, the yield of gum was found to be 2.85%. Various parameters such as flow behavior, organoleptic properties, surface tension, viscosity, loss on drying, ash value and swelling index together with microscopic studies of particles were done to characterize the extracted gum. The result showed that extracted kathal gum exhibited excellent flow properties. The gum was investigated for purity by carrying out chemical tests for different phytochemical constituents and only carbohydrates were found to be present. It had a good swelling index (13 ± 1). The pH and surface tension of the 1% gum solution were found to be 6 ± 0.5 and 0.0627 J/m2, respectively. The ash values such as total ash, acid insoluble ash, and water soluble ash were found to be 18.9%, 0.67% and 4% respectively. Loss on drying was 6.61%. The extracted gum was soluble in warm water and insoluble in organic solvents. The scanning electron micrograph (SEM) revealed rough and irregular particles of the isolated polymer. CONCLUSIONS: The results of the evaluated properties showed that kathal-derived gum has acceptable pH and organoleptic properties and can be used as a pharmaceutical excipient to formulate solid oral dosage forms.