Development and Gamma Scintigraphy Study of Trigonella foenum-graecum (Fenugreek) Polysaccharide-Based Colon Tablet.

Abstract

The major concern with the use of some synthetic excipients is their safety towards biological tissues, hence influencing the reliability of products. With the aim to minimize dependency on highly toxic synthetic excipients, the present study was designed to deliver metronidazole (MNZ) into thecolonic region for localized treatment of amoebiasis using natural polysaccharide-based drug delivery. Compression-coated tablets wereprepared using water extractable natural polysaccharide from Trigonella foenum-graecum (FG). Physical properties of the tablets were evaluated and dissolution study was performed at pH1.2, 6.8, and 7.4 with rat cecal material. Results indicate that all batches demonstrated pH-dependent drug release and prevented release into the stomach, allowing traces into the intestine and highest availability into the colon. A significant correlation (r2 = 0.975) was found between the coating levels of extracted polysaccharide and lag time release of drug. Gamma scintigraphy images of in vivo study conducted on human volunteers showed a small intestinal transit time, i.e., 3-5 (4.2 ± 0.4)h and confirmed that thetablets reached the colon within 6-8h. The present study revealed that theFG polysaccharide-based double compression tablets may be promising colon-specific drug carriers withreduced toxic effects of commonly used synthetic excipients.