EVALUATION OF THE SUSPENDING PROPERTIES OF SHEA TREE GUM

Objective: Shea gum is found in large quantities in the northern part of Ghana. Its use in the pharmaceutical industry has been limited by lack of research into the possible uses of the gum as a pharmaceutical excipient. This study seeks to investigate the use of shea gum as a suspending agent using paracetamol as a model drug.Methods: The crude shea gum was collected, purified and used as a suspending agent to formulate paracetamol suspensions using gum concentrations of 1 %w/v, 2 %w/v, 3 % w/v and 4 % w/v. These suspensions with varying gum concentrations were compared with paracetamol suspensions containing same concentrations of acacia gum. The suspensions were all tested for their apparent viscosity, flow time, sedimentation volume over 42 d and ease of re-dispersibility.Results: The apparent viscosities of both suspensions increased when the gum concentrations were increased. The flow times of the freshly prepared shea gum suspensions increased gradually with increasing concentration of gum. A similar trend was observed for suspensions made with acacia gum. For suspensions made with either gum, the volume of sediments was found to be inversely proportional to the concentration of the gum. However, the volume of sediments increased with time. The ease of re-dispersibility was directly proportional to the concentration of gum in suspensions containing either gum.Conclusion: Shea gum was found to have suspending properties comparable to acacia gum. Shea gum can, therefore, be used in formulating oral suspensions of drugs.Keywords: Suspension, Shea gum, Acacia gu

STABILITY STUDIES ON FLUCLOXACILLIN SODIUM IN CAPSULE DOSAGE FORMS

Objective: Flucloxacillin is easily broken down by moisture and this raises stability concerns of the drug in a country where humidity is very high.Stability studies on flucloxacillin sodium in capsule formulations were done with three pharmaceutical excipients. The studies sought to determine the best of three excipients for the formulation of flucloxacillin that gives the best stability in an environment of high humidity. The study also sought to establish if the amount of excipient influences the stability of flucloxacillin in the formulation.Methods: Fixed amounts of flucloxacillin sodium were mixed with varying amounts of dried starch, undried starch and sodium carboxymethylcellulose (sodium cmc) in Petri dishes. The mixtures were exposed to humidity in a room for 12 w and iodimetry was used to monitor the amounts of flucloxacillin sodium in the mixtures for 12 w.Results: It was noticed after 12 w that, the mixtures with the dried starch experienced the least breakdown or gave the most stable products, followed by those with the undried starch while those with sodium cmc experienced the most breakdown. Also, the higher the amounts of excipients used, the more stable the drug.Conclusion: Dried starch should be preferred and in higher amounts in formulating capsule dosage forms of flucloxacillin sodium.Keywords: Stability studies, Flucloxacillin sodium, Sodium carboxymethylcellulose, Dried starch, Undried starch, Iodimetr

STABILITY STUDIES ON FLUCLOXACILLIN SODIUM IN RECONSTITUTED ORAL SUSPENSIONS

Objective: Stability studies on flucloxacillin sodium in reconstituted oral suspensions were carried out. The experiment sought to investigate the effects that the different types of water for reconstitution and different storage conditions have on the stability of flucloxacillin sodium in the reconstituted suspensions.Methods: Suspensions of flucloxacillin sodium were reconstituted with tap water, commercial bottled water (Voltic brand was used), commercial sachet water (Everpure brand was used) treated tap water and distilled water and stored under refrigeration (RF) (4-6 °C), at room temperature (RT) (31-33 °C) and in a bowl of water (BW) (26-27 °C). Assay of flucloxacillin sodium was by iodimetry at predetermined time intervals for 8 d.Results: The amount of flucloxacillin sodium in all the suspensions stored under the various storage conditions reduced with time and at different rates. The percentage breakdown, a parameter of stability, was calculated for each reconstituted suspension stored at the different conditions investigated and they were as follows: commercial bottled water (RT-22.40 %, RF-9.90 % and BW-15.90 %), distilled water (RT-29.14 %, RF-18.0 %, BW-28.80 %), tap water (RT-25.0%, RF-14.60 % and BW-25.10 %) and commercial sachet water (RT-25.0 %, RF-10.17 % and BW-22.50 %).Conclusion: At the end of the study, it was found that those suspensions reconstituted with the commercial bottled water were the most stable and had the smallest breakdown of flucloxacillin sodium whereas those reconstituted with distilled water were the least stable and had the largest breakdown of flucloxacillin sodium. Commercial sachet water reconstituted more stable suspensions than tap water. Also, the suspensions stored under refrigeration were the most stable followed by those stored in a bowl of water. The formulations kept at room temperature were the least stable and thus, had the largest breakdown of flucloxacillin sodium

EFFECT OF STORAGE CONDITIONS ON THE STABILITY OF ASCORBIC ACID IN SOME FORMULATIONS

Objective: The stability of ascorbic acid is affected by temperature, pH, sunlight and the presence of metals like copper and iron.The study seeks to investigate the effect of storage conditions on the stability of ascorbic acid in tablets (buccal tablets) and syrups sampled from the Ghanaian market.Methods: Ascorbic acid tablets were sampled and stored separately at room temperature and under refrigeration (in a fridge) and assayed periodically for 35 d. Ascorbic acid syrups were also sampled and stored at room temperature, in a bowl of water and under refrigeration and also assayed periodically for 35 d. The mode of assay was iodimetry.Results: For both formulations, storage under refrigeration saw the least breakdown and at room temperature, the breakdown of ascorbic acid was greatest. The syrups stored in a bowl of water were more stable than those stored at room temperature. The % breakdown of ascorbic acid in the syrups and tablets stored at room temperature were statistically significant in comparison to that under refrigeration as determined by a T-test. The % breakdown of ascorbic acid in the syrups stored in a bowl of water was not statistically significant in comparison to that under refrigeration.Conclusion: Ascorbic acid formulations should be stored under refrigeration or at low temperatures if possible. In the absence of refrigeration, patients should be advised to store syrups of ascorbic acid in a bowl of water and the tablets at cool places in homes