Formulation and evaluation of tablet dosage form of <i>Hunteria umbellate</i> (apocynaceae) seed extract

Abstract

The present study was aimed at formulating and evaluating tablet dosage form of Hunteria umbellata (HU) seed aqueous and purified extracts. HU seeds were dried, pulverized and the powder macerated in water to obtain aqueous extract, while alkaloidal extraction process was used to obtain purified extract. Extracts obtained were formulated into tablet dosage form. The tablets were evaluated for hardness, friability, disintegration and dissolution profile according to official and unofficial requirements. All tablets had friability values less than 1%. Hardness exhibited by tablets prepared with aqueous extract were between 3.5 - 9 kgf, while those prepared with purified extract were in the range of 8.5 - 9.9 kgf. All tablets from aqueous extract disintegrated within 15 min. Tablets produced from the purified extract disintegrated after 15 min, with the exception of tablets produced with 10% binder concentration, which disintegrated at 14.23 min. All the tablets displayed an immediate release, having over 70% of their content released within 30 min. This study show that extracts of powdered seeds of Hunteria umbellata can be formulated into standardized conventional tablets.

Keywords: Hunteria umbellata, medicinal plants, tablets, extracts