PRELIMINARY INVESTIGATIONS INTO THE PHYSICOCHEMICAL AND COMPACTION CHARACTERISTICS OF MODIFIED STARCH OF DISCOREA ALATA USING DICLOFENAC SODIUM TABLET

Objective: This work focused on evaluating the micromeritic and compressional properties of pregelatinized African water yam (Discorea alata) starch and its modified forms with comparison to pregelatinized corn starch and microcrystalline cellulose.Methods: Two modifications of the water yam starch were prepared; acetone dehydrated pregelatinized form (DSA) and an admixture of DSA and pregelatinized corn starch (CDSA). A third form of starch is the acetone dehydrated pregelatinized corn starch (CSA). These were used to form batches compacted as tablets using diclofenac sodium as the active moiety. Physicochemical and flow characteristics of the starch powders were elucidated, and the drug starch compatibility studies done using the Fourier transform Infra-red (FTIR) technique. Compaction studies were investigated on tablets formed at different compression pressures and Heckel plots were prepared.Results: The slope of the straight line (K) of 0.8959 was greatest for F1 while yield pressure (Py) value of 10.965 was highest for F3. These values from the Heckel plot suggest that while the tablets of control batch of microcrystalline cellulose (F4) and a batch of pregelatinized corn starch (F2) formed harder compacts, less likely deformed plastically, the Discorea alata batch (F1) and the admixed batch (F3) were likely to deform plastically. Also, the binding efficiency of the compact was significantly high (47.81%Kgscm-1) for F4 at 56.5Kpas compaction pressure, higher than that obtainable for any of the other formulations at the compaction pressures under consideration. All starches formed had similar moisture content (of 10%) despite the different sources but the interaction between the water molecule and pregelatinized water yam starch improved as revealed by viscosity(7.18mPas), hydration capacity(3.27%) and swelling index (250%) of CDSA.Conclusion: It could be concluded that pregelatinized water yam starch could be used as a substitute for corn starch or microcrystalline cellulose as a pharmaceutical excipient (binder/filler) in tablets formulation.

A Systematic Study on Flowability and Compressibility of Asparagus racemosus root Powder for Tablet Preparation

The dried root of Asparagus racemosus is widely used as mild antihypertensive and tranquilizer. The objective of the present research was to study the original flowability, compressibility and compactibility of Asparagus racemosus root powder and develop its tablet formulations by wet granulation and direct compression technology. The consolidation behavior of drug and tablet formulations were studied by using Heckel and Leuenberger equation. Asparagus racemosus root powder showed very poor flowability and compactibility. Kawakita analysis revealed improved flowability for formulations prepared by direct compression and wet granulation technique. The Heckel plot showed that Asparagus racemosus powder is soft in nature and poor in die filling. Granules showed higher degree of plasticity and fragmentation than powder and direct compression formulations. The compression susceptibility parameter for compact formed by direct compression and wet granulation technique indicated that the maximum crushing strength is reached faster at lower pressures of compression as opposed to Asparagus racemosus powder. From this study, it is concluded that desired flowability, compressibility and compactibility of Asparagus racemosus root powder can be obtained by direct compression and wet granulation technique