ISOLATION OF NATURAL BINDING AGENT FROM EULOPHIA OCHREATA LINDL. AND ITS EVALUATION

Aim and objective: To isolate the natural herbal binding agent from Eulophia ochreata Lindl. and study its evaluation properties using diclofenac as a model drug.

Principle: Binders confer structural strength required by tablets during processing, handling, packaging and transportation. A number of plant mucilage, gums/hydrocolloids have been used as binding agents, suspending or emulsifying agents in both solid and liquid dosage formulation. They have been found useful in producing tablets with different mechanical strength and drug release properties for different pharmaceutical purposes. Mucilage is non-toxic and there wide availability has made them of continuing interest.

Method: Present work reports extraction of mucilage of Eulophia ochreata Lindl. by multiple hot maceration technique using water and precipitation by alcohol (28% w/w yield). Physicochemical characteristics of mucilage, such as solubility, swelling index, loss on drying, pH and viscosity, were studied and also microbial load was determined. Mucilage was used in six different concentrations – 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 and 12% w/v. The granules were prepared by wet granulation technique and were evaluated. Starch (10% w/v) was used as binder for comparison. The prepared diclofenac tablets were evaluated for content uniformity, hardness, friability, disintegration time and in vitro dissolution profiles.

Result: The tablets had good physicochemical properties. The drug release was within 3 hrs and shows good results. Tablets at 8% w/v binder concentration showed optimum results as tablet binder.

Conclusion: The Eulophia ochreata Lindl.isolated mucilage was found to be useful for the uncoated tablet dosage form.