FORMULATION AND EVALUATION OF ASCORBIC ACID AND METRONIDAZOLETABLETS CONTAINING MICROCRYSTALLINE CELLULOSE DERIVED FROMORYZA SATIVA

Abstract

The research aims to formulate and evaluate the tableting properties of microcrystalline cellulose derived from
Oryza sativa chaff, which was used as a direct compression excipient in the formulation of ascorbic acid and
metronidazole tablets. Portion of the samples of Oryza sativa chaff after cleaning and drying (300 g) was soaked in
500 mL of 17.5 % sodium hydroxide solution. The slurry obtained was maintained under constant stir for 1 h at
room temperature. The pre-treated chaff was filtered at room temperature and then washed with 500 mL 95 %
ethanol to remove the base; the sample was then dried in an oven at 60 for 24 h. Each of the sample was further
mixed with 300 mL distilled water, 50 mL glacial acetic acid and 200 mL of sodium hypochloride. The mixtures
were stirred on a water-bath at 75 for 2 h and the residue washed with 95 % ethanol and distilled water. Each of
the extracted cellulose samples A and C (72.1 and 84.2 g) was added to a 1 L beaker containing 500 mL of 2.5 M
hydrochloric acid and heated to a temperature of about 100 on a hot plate for 15 mins. The resulting crystalline
cellulose was collected and filtered, then washed with aqueous ammonia solution and distilled water. This was dried
at room temperature to constant weight. Physicochemical characteristics was done on the extracted materials to
determine the suitability of varieties of MCC used as direct compression agent in formulation of ascorbic acid and
metronidazole tablet in relation to the standard Avicel®PH-102. The chaff derived microcrystalline cellulose
(CDMCC) obtained was light-yellow, tasteless powder with characteristic odour. FTIR spectral study showed that
there was no chemical interaction and introduction of new peak across all the samples just like the Avicel®PH-102.
The dilution potential CDMCC with respect to ascorbic acid was 60:40 with a tensile strength of 0.97 MN/m2 and
metronidazole to be 50:50. The tablet properties of the respective formulation met the requirements in the British
Pharmacopoeia. The dissolution studies showed that the Avicel®PH-102 gave better results than the CDMCC. The
standard Avicel®PH-102 performed better than the microcrystalline cellulose extracted (CDMCC) as a direct
compression agent in the formulation of ascorbic acid and metronidazole tablet. CDMCC from a good variety can
serve as alternative to costly available direct compressible excipients such Avicel®PH-102 for immediate release
tablets.