Extraction of Mucilage and its Comparative Evaluation as a Binder

A binder holds powders together to form granules and also provides the cohesiveness required for binding of the granules under compression to form a tablet. Some natural excipients are currently available for pharmaceutical formulation. Aim of this study was to isolate the mucilage from different plants and to evaluate them as a binder. Here an effort was made to investigate the efficacy of mucilage obtained from fruits of Ziziphus mauritiana and Aegle marmelos as tablet excipient. A microwave assisted extraction technique was developed to optimize the extraction of mucilage from the fruits of Ziziphus mauritiana and Aegle marmelos plants. Fruits of both plants have been extracted by conventional and microwave assisted method for isolation of mucilage. The extracted mucilage has been evaluated for various physicochemical properties. Tablets were manufactured using extracted mucilage as a binding agent and comparison was made against the tablets prepared with starch paste as standard binder on studying standard parameters like diameter, thickness, weight variation, hardness, friability, disintegration and Invitro dissolution study. Mucilage could be used as a binding agent for at low concentrations. This can be used for sustaining drug release from tablets since prepared tablets produced a sticky film of hydration on surface which ultimately reduces drug release rate and hence can be evaluated for its efficacy to sustain the drug release.