Isolation And Characterization of Almond Gum as Pharmaceutical Excipient
Abstract
Objective: This study aimed to isolation and characterization of almond gum (Terminalia Catappa L.) as pharmaceutical excipient.
Materials and Methods: The gum obtained from almonds (Terminalia Catappa L.) was extracted using distilled water and precipitated with ethyl alcohol. The product has been analyzed for carbohydrates, protein, fat, starch, reducing and non-reducing sugars, alkaloids, glycosides, steroids, tannins, phenolic compounds, swelling index, flow behavior, and microbial studies have also been assessed examined.
Results: Result revealed that using water-based extraction method, the percentage yield was found to be 8.89%. The result showed that extracted almond gum exhibited good flow properties. It had good swelling index and pH was found to be 5.53± 0.26. The ash values such as total ash, acid insoluble ash, water soluble ash was found to be 4.22 %, 2.4 % and 0.91 % respectively, loss on drying was 4.85%. Extracted AG was quickly forms a viscous colloidal dispersion in warm water and insoluble in organic solvents. AG has microbial load within specified limits for natural excipients and the pathogenic organisms were absent.
Conclusion: The outcome of various experimentation lead to the conclusion that results of evaluated properties showed that almond derived gum can be used as pharmaceutical excipient to formulate solid oral dosage form. It has acceptable pH and organoleptic properties, so can be easily used to formulate various dosage form.