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Research article
A Preliminary Investigation of Moringa Oleifera Lam Gum
As a Pharmaceutical Excipient
Dhiren P Shah*1, Vineet C Jain1, Hitesh P Dalvadi1, Vinod D Ramani1,
Kajal G Patel1, Mahesh G Saralai1, Girish K Jani2
1
C K Pithawalla Institute of Pharmaceutical Science and Research, Via Magdalla Port,
Nr. Malvan Mandir, Dumas Road, Gavior Gam, Surat – 395 007.,
2
S S R College of Pharmacy, Silvassa - Sayli Road, Silvassa, U T of D & NH – 396 230.
*
Corresponding author: E-mail: dhirenpshah1@gmail.com
Received: 18/07/2011, Revised: 18/08/2011, Accepted: 30/08/2011
ABSTRACT
Mother nature has gifted India with great variety of flora and fauna. Since centuries man has made an effective use of
material from natural origins in the medical & pharmaceutical field. In present study, Moringa oleifera Lam., was explored
as a pharmaceutical excipient. Various physico-chemical properties like particle size, solubility, swelling ratio, flow property
and compressibility were measured and compared with other materials also. Aceclofenac tablets containing Moringa were
prepared and evaluated for various quality control parameters like hardness, friability, wetting time and disintegration time.
Drug releases from Aceclofenac tablets were performed. Finally, stability study of optimized batch was carried out. It was
observed that Moringa gum had excellent swelling ratio, flow property and compressibility. Batch F3 was considered as
optimized batch due to lesser disintegration time, hardness & friability are within the limit. Tablets are stable after stability
study.
INTRODUCTION
Additives play an important role in pharmaceutical swells in contact with water giving a highly viscous solu-
preparations like tablet, lotions, suspensions, syrups and tion. It contains alkoloids, flavonoids, anthocyanins, proan-
ointments. Recent trends towards the use of the natural and thocyanidins and cinnamates. It is polyuronide consisting of
nontoxic products which demand the replacement of syn- arabinose, galactose and glucoronic acid in the proportion
thetic excipients with natural ones. Natural gums provide of 10:7:2, rhamnose is present in traces. Moringa oleifera
appropriate solution to the current problem. There are sev- Lam was investigated for its application as a binder and
eral reports about the successful use of hydrophilic poly- release retardant in tablet formulation. It is used as antipy-
mers derived from plant and other sources in pharmaceuti- retic, anthelmintic and antidiahorrheal, rhueumatism and
cal preparations [1]. other diseases. Moringa oleifera is a small genus of quick
Recent decades have seen tremendous strides in the growing tree distributed in India. [4-6].
designing of novel dosage forms. But tablets still remain an In view of importance of binders in pharmaceuticals
attractive option for pharmaceutical scientists and clinicians for the manufacture of tablets and capsules, gum extracted
because they offer advantages of accurate unit-dosing, bet- from the bark of Moringa Oleifera gum was undertaken to
ter patient compliance, ease of large-scale manufacturing, evaluate its binding properties through assessment of vari-
and Low production cost. The formulation of a tablet in- ous parameters essential for pharmaceutical formulation [7-
volves combining the active ingredient, the “drug,” with 11].
pharmacologically inactive ingredients called “excipients. In present study, attempt was made to explore Moringa
Binding agents are used in granulation to provide proper gum as a pharmaceutical excipient. Various physico-
strength to the granules, in order to keep the tablet intact chemical properties like particle size, solubility, swelling
after compression. Plant gums and mucilage widely have ratio, flow property and compressibility were measured and
been used in various industries like paper, textile, food, ink, compared with other materials also. Aceclofenac tablets
cosmetics, petroleum and frequently used in pharmaceuti- containing Moringa were prepared and evaluated for vari-
cals as thickening, binding, emulsifying, suspending, stabi- ous quality control parameters like hardness, friability,
lizing agents and coating materials in micro encapsulation wetting time and disintegration time. Drug releases from
[2-3]. Aceclofenac tablets were performed. Finally, stability study
In view of the easy availability of the plant, the ex- of optimized batch was carried out.
udates from the stem of the tree. The stem of the tree ex-
udes a gum which is initially white in colour but changes to MATERIAL & METHODS
reddish brown to brownish black on exposure. Moringa Aceclofenac was received as generous gift from Tor-
oleifera Lam belongs to family Moringaceae. It is also rent Pharmaceutical Ltd. Ahmedabad. Hydropropyl methyl
know as Drumstick in English, Saragvo in Gujarati, Soanj- cellulose (HPMC) was received as gift sample from Color-
na in Hindi, Sajna in Bengali, Nugge in Kannada, Sigru in con India. Moringa Oleifera gum was procured from local
Malyalam, Shevga in Marathi, Shobhanjana in Sanskrit and market, Surat. Lactose IP and Talc IP were used as re-
Munaga in Telugu. It is sparingly soluble in water but ceived. All other solvents and chemicals were of AR grade.
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Shah et al International Journal of Pharmacy Research and Technology 2011 1(1) 12-16
withdrawn after three-month interval and were evaluated pressibility data shows that MGG is suitable as directly
for change in DT and hardness. compression excipient. Therefore, granulation is recom-
mended to improve flow. So, moringa gum can be used as
RESULT & DISCUSSION directly compressible excipient for preparation tablet.
Oral route of drug administration is perhaps the most
appealing route for the delivery of drugs. Of the various Table 3. Results of physico-chemical properties of Mo-
dosage forms administered orally, the tablet is one of the ringa gum.
most preferred dosage forms because of its ease of manu- Parameters Moringa Guar Isphagula
facturing, convenience in administration, accurate dosing, Powder Gum Husk
stability compared with oral liquids, and because it is more Angle of Re- 27.83 ± 42.27 ± 38.59 ± 1.75
tamperproof than capsules. The bioavailability of drug is pose (Φ) 0.68 1.85
dependent on in vivo disintegration, dissolution, and vari- Mean ± S.D.
ous physiological factors. In recent years, scientists have (n=3)
focused their attention on the formulation of quickly disin- Bulk Density 0.66 ± 0.06 0.6 ± 0.75 ± 0.05
tegrating tablets. The task of developing rapidly disintegrat- (gm/ml) 0.04
ing tablets is accomplished by using a suitable diluents and Mean ± S.D.
superdisintegrant. (n=3)
Physicochemical parameters of moringa gum are Tapped Density 0.83 ± 0.07 0.88 ± 0.88 ± 0.06
shown in Table 2. It contains average particle size of 30 ± (gm/ml) 0.06
1.15µg. Loss on drying was found 11.25 ± 0.50, which Mean ± S.D.
indicate that gum had such free moisture to react. From the (n=3)
data of pH, it was found neutral which indicate that there Carr’s Index 20.00 31.81 14.71
will be no interaction due to change in pH.
Hausner Ratio 1.25 1.46 1.17
Table 2. Results of Physcio-chemical Properties of Mo-
ringa Gum Powder.
Physicochemical Parameters Results Rheological data of moringa gum powder are shown in
Average Particle Size (µg) Table 4. There was a comparison between natural and syn-
30 ± 1.15
Mean ± S.D. (n=3) thetic gum (sodium CMC). Viscosity was performed at
Loss on drying (%) different concentration. It was observed that as the concen-
11.25 ± 0.50
Mean ± S.D. (n=3) tration of gum increases there was increases in viscosity. It
Slightly soluble in was also observed that moringa gum has less viscosity as
Solubility compared to sodium CMC at different concentration level.
water
Specific gravity (0.5%w/v) (gm/ml) Table 4. Rheological data of Moringa gum and sodium
0.988 ± .044
Mean ± S.D. (n=3) CMC.
pH (0.5%w/v) Neutral
Viscosity (cps)
Mean ± S.D. , (n=3)
Density (0.5%w/v) (gm/ml) Concentration
0.996 ± 0.05 (% w/v)
Mean ± S.D. (n=3) Moringa
Sodium CMC
Gum
It shows that gum has excellent swelling ratio in all 1.57 ±
0.1 2.79 ± 0.13
distilled water (14.5 ± 0.95) as compared to Hcl buffer (5.0 0.02
± 0.45) and phosphate buffer (5.6 ± 0.55). It indicates that 2.46 ±
0.2 4.19 ± 0.27
gum is ionic in nature and due to presence of ions swelling 0.05
ratio remains lower as compared to distilled water. 3.43 ±
0.3 5.48 ± 0.28
Results of flow property and compressibility are 0.55
shown in Table 3. Flow properties of the powder can be 4.81 ±
0.4 6.66 ± 0.33
judged from the angle of repose. The powder flow depends 0.65
on 3 general areas: (1) the physical properties of the particle 9.84 ±
0.5 12.15 ± 0.45
(e.g., shape, size, compressibility), (2) the bulk powder 1.15
properties (e.g., size distribution, compaction), and (3) the
processing environment (e.g., storage, humidity) [20]. An- Results of quality control parameters of Aceclofenac
gle of repose, hausner ratio, flow rate through an orifice, tablet containing moringa gum are shown in Table 5. Hard-
and shear cell methods are included in the USP [21]. Flow ness and friability of all three batches are satisfactory and
property & compressibility of moringa gum was compared within limit. It was observed that as the concentration of
with other natural excipient guar gum & Ispaghula husk. moringa gum increases there was decreases in wetting time.
The angle of repose of moringa powder, guar gum and is- It was observed that as the concentration of moringa gum
phagula husk was 27.83 ± 0.68, 42.27 ± 1.85 and 38.59 ± increases there was decrease in disintegration time. Batch
1.75, respectively. The results reveal that moringa exhibited F3 was considered as optimized batch due to lesser disinte-
passable, while guar gum and isphagula husk exhibit poor gration time. It can be concluded that moringa gum can be
flow, respectively. Compressibility data of moringa are used as disintegrating agent for tablet formulation [22-25].
superior to other natural excipient. Flow property and com-
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Shah et al International Journal of Pharmacy Research and Technology 2011 1(1) 12-16
60
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