International Journal of Pharmaceutical & Biological Archives 2010; 1(4):360-363
ORIGINAL RESEARCH ARTICLE
Isolation and Evaluation of Tamarind Seed Polysaccharide as a Natural Suspending
Agent R.DEVESWARAN*, S.BHARATH, SHARON FURTADO, SINDHU ABRAHAM, B.V.BASAVARAJ, V.MADHAVAN M.S.Ramaiah College of Pharmacy, M.S.R.Nagar, M.S.R.I.T Post, Bangalore – 560054
Received 15 Sep 2010; Revised 28 Sep 2010; Accepted 5 Oct 2010
ABSTRACT The Tamarind seed polysaccharide (TSP) possesses properties like high viscosity, broad pH tolerance, no carcinogenicity, mucoadhesive nature, and biocompatibility. Since suspensions are thermodynamically unstable, it requires a suspending agent which reduces the rate of settling and permits easy redispersion of any settled particulate matter. So an attempt was made to use this polysaccharide as suspending agent in the formulation of Nimesulide suspension. The formulations were prepared and compared with the marketed product. All the formulations were redispersed uniformly without any deposits. The average size of the particles in the suspension was found to be 35.4 µm and the minimum and maximum particle size were 17.3 and 70.3 µm respectively. The drug content of all the formulations was in the range of 95- 98.3%. The rheological study of the formulation F3 indicated that as the RPM increases the viscosity decreases, confirming the shear thinning nature of the suspension. The suspension was found to be stable during the entire period of study. Hence the present work confirms that the isolated TSP powder can be used as an effective suspending agent. But the feasibility of isolation of TSP powder in large scale needs to be studied in future.
3 INTRODUCTION . Nimesulide is a non steroidal anti-inflammatory A pharmaceutical suspension, like other disperse drug that is useful in the treatment of pain systems, is thermodynamically unstable, thus, associated with fever. It is highly effective in making it necessary to include in the dosage form, reducing pain associated with osteoarthritis, a stabilizer or suspending agent which reduces rheumatoid and other degenerative joints the rate of settling and permits easy redispersion disorders, low back pain, dysmenorrheal, of any settled particulate matter both by protective gynecological condition, thrombophlebitis, dental colloidal action and by increasing the consistency pain and inflammations. It has some severe side of the suspending medium1. Plant Mucilage are effects such as epigastria pain, heartburn, nausea, pharmaceutically important polysaccharide with wide diarrhea, vomiting, peptic ulcer and hepatic rang of applications such as thickening, binding, impairments. Nimesulide is having half-life 1.56 disintegrating, suspending, emulsifying, stabilizing, to 4.95 hr which requires frequent dosing to and gelling agents. They have been also used as maintain plasma concentration4. Various works matrices for sustained and control release drugs2. have been reported with respect to usage of Mucilage because of its colloidal nature and Nimesulide for paediatric purpose5, 6. Tamarind viscosity can be used to suspend insoluble seed polysaccharide which is obtained from the substances in liquids and help in preventing seed kernel of Tamarindus indica possesses sedimentation. Drugs that are insoluble or poorly properties like high viscosity, broad pH tolerance, soluble in water are ideal candidates for noncarcinogenicity, mucoadhesive nature, and formulating into suspension. It also prevents biocompatibility. It is used as stabilizer, degradation of drug and improves stability of drug suspending agent, thickener, gelling agent, and
Deveswaran et al/ Isolation and Evaluation of Tamarind Seed Polysaccharide As A Natural Suspending Agent 7, 8 binder in food and pharmaceutical industries . tamarind seed polysaccharide powder in the ratio The purpose of this study was to isolate a natural 1:1 were subjected to I.R spectral studies using pharmaceutical excipient from tamarind seed and FTIR spectrophotometer (FTIR 8400 S, to check its utility as an effective suspending Shimadzu, Japan). agent in the formulation of pharmaceutical Sedimentation Volume: Each suspension (50 ml) suspensions. The prepared suspension was was stored in a 50 ml measuring cylinder for 7 compared with that of a marketed product and days at 35°C. Observations were made at every hr evaluated for various parameters like for 7 hr and then every 24 hr for 7 days. The sedimentation volume, archeology and particle sedimentation volume, F (%), was then calculated size analysis as assessment parameters. using the following equation: MATERIALS AND METHOD F = 100Vu/Vo Materials: Where, Vu is the ultimate volume of the u Nimesulide was obtained as a gift sample from sediment and VO is the original volume of the of Panacea Biotech, Lalru,Punjab. Tamarind seed suspension. powder was purchased from the local market. Rheological Behavior: The viscosity of the Citric acid, Methyl paraben, Propyl paraben and prepared and marketed suspensions was Vanillin flavor were purchased from S.D. Fine determined using Brookefield’s viscometer Chemicals, Mumbai, India. (Model DV II). The viscosity values were Isolation of Tamarind Seed Polysaccharide: determined at 10, 12, 20, 30, 50, 60 and 100 rpm TSP was isolated by taking 20 g of tamarind at 25°C using spindle No. 2. The All kernel powder and added to 200 ml of cold determinations were made in triplicate and the distilled water to prepare slurry. The slurry was results obtained are expressed as the mean values. poured into 800 ml of boiling distilled water. The Particle size analysis: The particle size solution was boiled for 20 min with continous distribution in the suspension was determined stirring. The resulting solution was kept overnight, using optical microscope (Olympus LITE image). and centrifuged at 5000 rpm for 20 min. The The suspensions were mixed thoroughly and a supernatant liquid was separated and poured into drop of the suspension was taken on a slide and twice the volume of absolute alcohol with spread into a thin film. A total of 100 particles are continuous stirring. The precipitate obtained was counted and their size is determined. The washed with absolute ethanol and air-dried. The minimum, maximum and average particle size in dried polymer was powdered, passed through micrometers is tabulated. sieve no.60 and stored in a desiccator until further Redispersion: Fixed volume of each suspension use9. (50 ml) was kept in calibrated tubes which were TSP powder characterization: stored at room temperature for various time The bulk density and tap density of the isapgol intervals (5d, 10…45 d). At regular interval of 5 mucilage powder were determined using tap d, one tube was removed and shaken vigorously to density tester (USP) ED – 1020 (Electro lab). Also redistribute the sediment and the presence of the flow properties of the powder were also found. deposit if any was recorded. Formulation of suspension: Drug content: Amount equivalent to 50mg of The required quantity of TSP powder was taken in drug was taken, vortexed with 50ml of acetone a mortar. A small quantity of water was added and and filtered. The resulting filtrate was diluted triturated. To this Nimesulide was added and suitably and the drug content was estimated using triturated to form a paste. The preservatives, UV-VIS spectrophotometer (UV-1601, Shimadzu) methyl and propyl paraben, citric acid, and flavor at 450 nm10. vanillin was added and further triturated to form a Stability studies: The prepared formulations were homogenous mixture. Citric acid was used to stored in accelerated storage condition of 40 ± 20C adjust the pH. The mixture was transferred to a and 75 ± 5% RH for a period of 45 days and calibrated bottle and the volume was made up observed for changes in physical appearance and using sufficient quantity of water. drug content. Evaluation of suspension: Drug-Excipient interaction studies: The physical mixture of pure drug and isolated
Deveswaran et al/ Isolation and Evaluation of Tamarind Seed Polysaccharide As A Natural Suspending Agent RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Table – 2: Formulations of suspension The results of powder analysis are shown in (table Ingredients Formulation Code 1). The compatibility between the drug and (in mg) F1 F2 F3 F4 isolated mucilage powder was found to be good Nimesulide 500 500 500 500 Tamarind seed polysacc by the I.R spectral studies which are indicated in 250 500 750 1000 haride (Fig.1, 2). No major differences in the peak were Citric acid 200 200 200 200 observed in IR spectral studies. Suspensions of Methyl paraben 150 150 150 150 Nimesulide were prepared using TSP powder as Propyl paraben 100 100 100 100 suspending agent in various concentrations (Table Vanillin flavour 5 5 5 5 Purified water q.s to ml 50 50 50 50 2). The properties of the prepared suspension were compared with that of a marketed product. The sedimentation rate was observed for a period of 7 days. Of the prepared suspensions formulation F3 was found to be in close comparison with that of the marketed product. The sedimentation behaviors of the formulations are indicated in (Fig 3). All the formulations were redispersed uniformly without any deposits. This formulation was further evaluated for its rheological properties and particle size distribution. The average size of the particles in the suspension was found to be 35.4 µm and the minimum and maximum particle size were 17.3 and 70.3 µm respectively. The drug content of all the formulations was in the range of Fig.1 I.R. Spectra of pure drug Nimesulide 95-98.3%. The rheological study of the formulation F3 indicated that as the RPM increases the viscosity decreases, confirming the shear thinning nature of the suspension (Fig 4). The drug content of all the formulations was in the range of 96-99.3%. The suspensions were stable in accelerated storage conditions and the drug content does not vary to larger extent during the period of study. Also there was no change in the physical appearance of the formulations. The present study suggests that the isolated TSP powder can be used as an effective suspending agent in suspensions. The feasibility of isolation Fig.2 I.R.Spectra of physical mixture of TSP of TSP powder in large scale needs to be studied powder with Nimesulide in future. 1.2
Table 1: Isolated TSP powder characterization 1
Sedimentation volume
F1 Parameters Observed values 0.8 F2 0.6 F3 Bulk Density 0.24 F4 0.4 Market sample Tap density 0.363 0.2
Carr’s index 19.11 0
0 2 4 6 8 Hausner’s ratio 1.23 Time in days
Angle of repose 13°
Average particle size 185µm Fig.3Sedimentation volume of the formulations
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