Tropical Journal of Pharmaceutical Research

Original Research Article | OPEN ACCESS

Compounded laxative formulations for substituting phenolphthalein with sennosides A & B in solid dosage forms

Quintin . Verloop¹, Wilna . Liebenberg¹, Andries F Marais¹, Antonie P Lötter¹, Melgardt M de Villiers²

¹School of Pharmacy, North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, Potchefstroom 2520, South Africa; ²School of Pharmacy, University of Louisiana at Monroe, Monroe, LA 71209, USA..

For correspondence:- Melgardt de Villiers Email: devilliers@ulm.edu Tel:+1 318 342-3255

Published: 15 June 2004

Citation: Verloop Q., Liebenberg W., Marais AF, Lötter AP, de Villiers MM. Compounded laxative formulations for substituting phenolphthalein with sennosides A & B in solid dosage forms. Trop J Pharm Res 2004; 3(1):265-277 doi: 10.4314/tjpr.v3i1.2

© 2004 The authors.
This is an Open Access article that uses a funding model which does not charge readers or their institutions for access and distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0) and the Budapest Open Access Initiative (http://www.budapestopenaccessinitiative.org/read), which permit unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly credited..

Abstract

Purpose: Following the discovery of the carcinogenicity of phenolphthalein and the subsequent ban of this compound in several countries this study was undertaken to develop compounded formulations of laxative products containing the stimulant laxatives sennosides A and B.
Methods: DSC and HPLC analysis was used to determine the compatibility of sennosides with commonly used excipients before compounding capsules, tablets and effervescent tablets containing sennosides A & B. The physical and chemical stability and release properties of these dosage forms were determined for 12 weeks at increased temperature and relative humidity.
Results: Sennosides A & B were compatible with a wide variety of powdered excipients. However, these were incompatible with propyl paraben, sodium carbonate, stearic acid, citric acid, PEG, and sugar derivatives such as lactose, glucose and sorbitol when granulated with water. Not withstanding these interactions, it was possible to compound simple capsule, tablet and even an effervescent tablet formulations containing sennosides A & B that complied with pharmacopeial specifications. However, all these formulations were sensitive to moisture because when stored at increased temperature and relative humidity, disintegration times increased and dissolution rates decreased.

Conclusion: Based on compatibility and stability studies simple, stable and elegant solid dosage forms containing sennosides A & B were compounded that can be used to replace phenolphthalein in a variety of solid dosage forms.

Keywords: Compounding; Sennosides A & B; Phenolphthalein replacement; Drug-Excipient Compatibility.