Evaluation of disintegrant properties of <i>Neorautanenia mitis</i> starch

Abstract

Neorautanenia mitis is a leguminous sub-shrubby climbing plant with a tuberous root which could be exploited as a potential source of pharmaceutical grade starch. This study aims to determine the suitability of Neorautanenia mitis starch (NMS) as a disintegrant in tablet formulation. Its physicochemical properties such as solubility, acidity, pH, hydration capacity, swelling capacity, content of amylose and amylopectin and flow properties were determined. The starch (NMS) was employed as a disintegrant in the preparation of paracetamol granules at concentrations of 7.5, 10 and 15 % and evaluated. The granules were compressed into tablets at 0.5, 0.75, 1.00 and 1.25 MT and tablet properties were evaluated. The physicochemical properties showed NMS has good flow, lower amylose content and higher swelling power than maize starch BP (MS). Tablet formulations containing NMS had similar hardness with those containing MS at 0.5 MT while hardness was observed to increase with increase in compression pressure. Tablets containing NMS were found to elicit faster tablet disintegration than those containing maize starch BP and also had higher t75 values. Furthermore, increasing the compression pressure was found to be decrease the rate of drug release.

Keywords: Neorautanenia mitis starch, disintegrant, compression pressure, paracetamol tablets