Evaluation of Cicer Arietinum and Pisum Sativum Starch as the Alternative Tablet Binder to Maize Starch: Assessment by Preformulation and Formulation Studies.

In the present study, we evaluated pharmaceutical properties of the novel starch isolated from the seeds of Cicer arietinum and Pisum sativum to assess its functionality as pharmaceutical binder in tablet formulations. The isolated starches were subjected for pre-formulation studies (including DSC, SEM and XRD), where the physicochemical characterization of starches showed poor flow property. Compatibility studies confirmed that there was no significant interaction between drug and polymers. Microbial load test showed that the bacterial and fungal growth was under the limit specified. Efficiency of various binders were studied by wet granulation technique. Four formulations were made for each binder using different concentrations (2.5%, 5%, 7.5%, and 10%), three different binders used to formulate twelve formulations. Pre-compression studies of granules exhibited good flow property and compression characteristics suitable for compression. The formulated tablets were evaluated for post-compression parameters. It was found that tablets with Cicer arietinum starch showed good binding capacity (hardness), friable within limit and slow disintegration with slow drug release in comparison with commercially available binder like Zea mays starch. Release kinetics reveals that the drug release might follow “First order kinetics”. Stability studies were done as per ICH guidelines and the tablets were found to be stable. These findings suggested that Cicer arietinum starch could be an useful binding agent especially where high mechanical strength and slower release concern. Our studies concluded that Cicer arietinum starch (resistant starch) can be used as an appropriate binder in any anti-diabetic drug formulations