Abstract:
Gum odina and various parts of the plant Odina wodier, Roxb., family, Anacardiaceae, is traditionally used in Indian folk medicine. Here an effort was made to investigate the efficacy of gum odina as tablet excipient, in particular as a tablet binder. The studies of toxicity and chemical compositions of the experimental gum and gum-experimental tablet excipient interactions using FTIR (Furrier transform infrared) spectrum ensured its safe use as a tablet binder. Tablets were manufactured with various quantities of gum odina as a tablet binding agent and a comparison was made against the tablets prepared with 5% starch paste as binder based on studying the standard parameters like hardness, thickness, friability, weight variation and disintegration time. Gum odina at a very low amount (1/20th of the starch paste used) was found to be effective as tablet binder. Thus this gum is a cheap, economic and easily available option of a tablet binder in the list of pharmaceutical excipients.
