Evaluation of Khaya Gum as a Binder in a Paracetamol Tablet Formulation

Abstract

A study of the comparative effects of khaya gum and two standard binding agents, polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) and gelatin, on the compressional characteristics of a paracetamol tablet formulation and on the mechanical properties of the tablets was made. Compressional characteristics were analysed using density measurements and the Heckel and Kawakita plots. The loose initial relative density (D0) of the formulation increased with increased binder concentration while the packed initial relative density (Di) decreased. The degree of densification achieved for the formulation at low pressures (Db) and at both zero and low pressures (Da) decreased with increased binder concentration. The mean yield pressure (Py) for the formulation decreased with increase in binder concentration, with formulations containing khaya gum having the lowest Py values and those containing gelatin exhibiting the highest values. Another pressure term, Pk (an inverse measure of plasticity) decreased with increase in binder concentration, with formulations containing PVP having the lowest Pk values and those containing khaya gum and gelatin having similar Pk values. The tensile strength (T) of the paracetamol tablets increased with increase in binder concentration while the brittle fracture index (BFI) decreased. Tablets containing PVP exhibited the highest T values while those containing khaya gum exhibited the lowest values. The same trend was obtained for the BFI values with tablets containing khaya gum exhibiting the lowest values. The results suggest that khaya gum could be useful as a binding agent for particular tablet formulations.