Quality Assessment of Ascorbic Acid Tablet Formulations and Comparative Analysis with Edible Fruits

Abstract

Background: Ascorbic acid is a vitamin, soluble in water and essential for human health. It plays vital role in collagen production, iron absorption, wound healing, osteogenesis, and scurvy treatment. Objective: The study aimed to evaluate the physicochemical features of ascorbic acid oral tablet formulations and compare the amount found in natural sources to that found in commercial brands. Method: The study used six brands of ascorbic acid tablets. The drugs were analyzed using the iodometric titration employing the oxidation-reduction reaction of ascorbic acid and iodine as well as assessing uniformity of weight, hardness, dissolution, friability and disintegration. Results: The fruits were obtained from the fruit market. All the brands of Vitamin C tablets used were within their shelf-lives, standard British pharmacopeia range. Brand E had the highest weight (910.26 mg) and more variation (<2.98 ± 4.23), brand C had the highest percentage friability (0.924%), while D showed lower degree of hardness (0.065%) compared to other brands. Brand D had the highest percentage of drug release (102.973%). Brand F disintegrated at about 21:06 minutes. From the ten samples purchased, none had 100% ascorbic acid though brand B had almost 100% (99.5 mg). Brand E had the least concentration (89.5 mg). Conclusion: The results shows that all the tablets had appreciable percent of ascorbic acid. Strawberries had higher percentage of ascorbic acid among the fruits, followed by orange, papaya, pineapple, mango, kiwi and lemon, respectively.