Extraction and Evaluation of Musa paradisiaca Stem Mucilage as a Pharmaceutical Excipient

Aim: In present Pharmaceutical trend, natural excipients are gaining more importance because of their availability, safety, performance, and cost. The present work aimed at extraction of the mucilage from the stem of Musa paradisiaca (banana) and evaluation of extracted mucilage for its binding and disintegrating properties with Paracetamol as a model drug.

Methodology: The mucilage was extracted by aqueous extraction method followed by precipitation and evaluated for various physico-chemical properties. Drug-mucilage compatibility studies were conducted by FT-IR spectrometer. The extracted mucilage in three different concentrations was used to prepare 2 different sets of tablets for evaluation of its binding as well as disintegrating properties. Binding properties and disintegrating properties of the mucilage were compared with starch as standard binder and microcrystalline cellulose as standard disintegrant for the first and second set of tablets respectively. Wet granulation method was used to prepare total eight batches of 1 gm tablets of Paracetamol. Pre compression and post compression parameters of tablets were evaluated. Then the similarity factor for both (binding and disintegration test) were calculated by comparing test and standard tablets in each set.

Results and Discussion: The results of the work shown that the mucilage extracted from the Musa paradisiaca stem (MPS) has similar binding properties as of starch and release retarding effect at increased concentration as disintegrating time was increased when compared to microcrystalline cellulose.

Conclusion: Thus, the mucilage can be used as a better binding agent in the tablet formulation and its high disintegrating time can be explored for its slow release or extended release effect.