Development of directly compressible excipients from Phoenix dactylifera (Date) mucilage and microcrystalline cellulose using co-processing techniques

Abstract

The objective of this study was to harness the excipient potential of date mucilage by co-grinding and co-fusing with avicel for enhanced performance in the directcompression of metronidazole. Co-grinding and co-fusing of parent polymers were done using established methods and excipients were used in the direct-compression of metronidazole tablets. The shape and surface morphology of the particles of date mucilage (DAM) and co-processed excipients were generally granular, rough and irregular. There was a significant improvement in the disintegration of tablets prepared using the coprocessed excipients in comparison to that prepared using DAM alone. The disintegration time for tablets prepared using co-fused excipients was lower than that of co-grinded additives although the differences were not significant (p > 0.05). Generally, the co-processed excipients improved the mechanical and disintegration properties of the tablets produced compared to tablets prepared using DAM alone and could be further developed as direct compression excipients