Tropical Journal of Pharmaceutical Research

Original Research Article | OPEN ACCESS

Evaluation of the suspending properties of Albizia zygia gum on sulphadimidine suspension

Mbang N Femi-Oyewo, Musiliu O Adedokun , Taiwo O Olusoga

Department of Pharmaceutics and Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Olabisi Onabanjo University, Sagamu, Ogun State, Nigeria;

For correspondence:- Musiliu Adedokun Email: mo_adedokun@yahoo.com

Published: 15 June 2004

Citation: Femi-Oyewo MN, Adedokun MO, Olusoga TO. Evaluation of the suspending properties of Albizia zygia gum on sulphadimidine suspension. Trop J Pharm Res 2004; 3(1):279-284 doi: 10.4314/tjpr.v3i1.3

© 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: Some excipients are currently available for the formulation of pharmaceutical suspensions. The purpose of this study is to search for a cheap and effective natural excipient that can be used as an effective alternative for the formulation of pharmaceutical suspensions.
Method: The suspending properties of Albizia zygia gum (family Mimosoideae) were evaluated comparatively with those of Compound Tragacanth, Acacia and Gelatin at concentration range of 0.5 – 4.0%w/v in Sulphadimidine suspension. Characterization tests were carried out on purified Albizia zygia gum. Sedimentation volume (%), rheology and particle size analysis were employed as evaluation parameters. The values obtained therefrom were used as basis for comparison of the suspending agents studied.
Results: Albizia zygia gum is devoid of alkaloids, anthraquinones and carbohydrates which ensures its “inertness”. Albizia zygia gum (2.5%w/v) produced a comparable suspending ability as 4%w/v Compound Tragacanth. Also, the suspending ability of all the materials was found to be in the order: Albizia zygia > Compound Tragacanth gum > Acacia gum > Gelatin. At all concentrations employed, Albizia zygia gum had the strongest suspending ability relative to the other materials.

Conclusion: The results suggest that, due to the high viscosity of Albizia zygia gum, its mucilage can be a stabilizer of choice when high viscosity is desired. It can also serve as a good thickening agent in both pharmaceutical and food industries.

Keywords: Albizia zygia, suspending agents, sedimentation volume, rheology, particle size.