Formulation Optimization and Evaluation of Herbal Films Containing Ethanol Leaves Extract of Cassia auriculata to Treat Chronic Constipation Disorder

Abstract

An intriguing trend in recent years has been the designing of oral films containing extracts from medicinal plants. Therefore, efforts were made in the current work to create fast-dissolving herbal films using Cassia auriculata ethanol leaf extract in order to create a dosage form that would be more convenient to administer and treat chronic constipation disorders in the elderly. Varying ratios of hydroxy propyl methyl cellulose as polymer, propylene glycol as film softener, and a solvent-casting approach were utilized to create the quickly dissolving herbal films of C. auriculata leaf extract. A number of quality control measures, including weight fluctuation, thickness variation, surface pH, percentage moisture uptake, percentage moisture loss, disintegration time and folding endurance, were assessed. According to the findings, every film had a decent appearance, a smooth texture, was free of particle matter, and had excellent folding endurance. According to a content uniformity analysis, the drug is dispersed evenly across the entire film, and each one dissolves in less than 95 seconds. In-vitro dissolving studies using Paddle type apparatus in pH 6.8 phosphate buffer pH 6.8, which is simulated saliva, were performed for each film composition. Out of all nine formulations, formulation F5, which is an herbal film with 10% propylene glycol and 40% HPMC, exhibited complete drug release (99.6%) in 30 minutes and had a strong folding endurance value. The release of medication from films was found to follow a first-order kinetics. Overall, studies indicate that the most feasible dose form that can be used in medical settings for the treatment of chronic constipation disorder is fast-dissolving herbal films containing C. auriculata leaves extract. This is especially true for patients who have difficulty swallowing.