JPSBR: Volume 1, Issue 2: Sept-Oct 2011 (99-101) Research Article
Design and Development of Fast Disintigrating tablets containing Ashwagandha by
Sublimation technique
Upendra Kulkarni1*, Deepak Manthale2, Basawaraj S. Patil1, Hariprasanna R.C1,
1
RMES’S College of Pharmacy, Gulbarga-585102
2
MR Medical College, Gulbaga-585103
ABSTRACT:
Patient compliance can be increased in Ayurvedic powders by formulating them into tablets. Attempts have been made for the
development of fast disintegrating tablets of Ashwagandha powder by sublimation technique. The granules containing the drug
and excipients were examined for the precompretional parametes. The prepared formulations were evaluated for hardness,
weight variation, friability, disintegration and wetting time. The values of precompressional parameters were within prescribed
B.P. limits and indicate good free flowing properties. In all the formulations friability was less than 1% indicates tablets had a good
mechanical resistance. Hardness of the tablets was found to be in the range of 3.20 – 3.60 kg/cm2. The disintegration and wetting
times of all formulations were decreased with increase in the concentration of subliming agents.
Key words: Fast-disintegrating tablets, Camphor, Ashwagandha, Crospovidone.
Introduction:
Article history:
Received 29 July 2011 Traditional medicine is a very important part of health care. Population in the
Revised 13 sep 2011
Accepted 13 Sept 2011
developing countries still relies mainly on indigenous traditional medicine for satisfying
Available online 12 Oct 2011 their primary health care needs. Most of the nutraceutical preparations are based on
the traditional knowledge and they are the advanced form of ancient Ayurvedic system
with enhanced activity and stability. Ashwgandha is the case with ginseng, ashwgandha
has been employed for numerous condition in traditional Asian therapies and /or
additional disorders in contemporary herbal particles. a major traditional use of the
herb is in” balancing life force”, which may be regarded as an adaptogenic or anti-stress
tonic effect, ashwagandha is considered to be a general promoter of health or a
“rasayana” that promotes rejuvenation according to traditional ayurvedic practice.2
Generally Ayurvedic powders to be dispersed or mixed in liquids like water, milk, honey
and fruit juices etc. prior to oral administration. In such cases dose of powders is poorly
regulated, as in most of the houses powder measuring devices are different and difficult
For Correspondence: to carry while traveling.1. To overcome from all these problems we planned to
Upendra kulkarni formulate fast disintegrating tablets containing Ashwagandha.
RMES’S College of Pharmacy, The fast disintegrating drug delivery systems is rapidly gaining acceptance as an
Gulbarga-585102 important novel drug delivery system. This delivery system offers better patient
2
compliance than conventional tablet dosage form. Bioavailability of drug from this
Karnataka 3
delivery system is significantly greater than conventional tablets. The basis of vacuum
Email: upendra613@gmail.com drying technique is to add inert solid ingredient that volatilize readily (Camphor).
Volatile material is than removed with vacuum drying, which generates a porous
structure in the tablet, which leads to enhance the entry of medium into the tablet, and
disintegration of tablet is going to increase. 4-5
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CONCLUSION
The results indicate that by formulating the powders into the
tablets can increase dosage uniformity and patient compliance
of Ayurvedic powders. The wetting time and disintegration
time can be decreased in tablets containing Ashwagandha
powder by increasing the porosity of the tablet by sublimation
Ashwgandha plant Ashwgandha Powder technique. The formulation AG4 was yielded best in terms of
wetting time and disintegration time. Thus, it can be
concluded that fast disintegrating tablets of Ayurvedic
MATERIALS AND METHODS powders can be prepared with a view of obtaining faster
action of the drug. The adopted technique was found to be
Ashwgandha powder purchased from Multani pharma, New economical and industrially feasible.
delhi. Camphor, Magnesium Stearate and talc were purchased
from S.D. Fine chemicals Pvt. Limited, Mumbai; Crospovidone Table 1: Formula used in the preparation of Ashwagandha
was gift sample from Maple biotech Pune. And all other tablets
chemicals and materials were of analytical grade. Ingredients Formulations
(mg/tablet)
Preparation of Tablets: AG! AG2 AG3 AG4
Ashwagandha powder 500 500 500 500
Fast dissolving tablets of Ashwagandha powder were prepared
by direct compression method. The drug, excipient, Lactose 126 120 114 108
crospovidone (Superdisintegrant), and different concentration
Crospovidone 6 6 6 6
of camphor were mixed in a plastic container followed by
compression of the blend. After compression the tablets were Camphor 6 12 18 24
collected and vacuum dried at 60o c until a constant weight
Magnesium stearate 6 6 6 6
was obtained.
Talc 6 6 6 6
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Total weight 650 650 650 650
The values of pre-compressional parameters of powder blend
were within prescribed limits as per BP and indicated good
free flowing properties (Table-3). The post compressional Table 2: Pre-compressional parameters of powder blend
parameters results are shown in Table 4. Friability of all
Formulation Parameters.
formulations was less then 1%, which indicates that the
tablets had a good mechanical resistance. The wetting time Angle of Compressibility Hausner’s
and disintegration time decreased with increase in the repose (θ) (%) ratio (%)
concentration of volatile component. It may be due to their
(± SD), n=3 (± SD), n=3 (± SD), n=3
lowest hardness and maximum porous structure was
responsible for faster water uptake, hence it facilitates the AG1 24.22 (0.62) 11.00 (0.22) 1.22(0.05)
wicking action of crospovidone in bringing about faster
6 AG2 21.33(0.76) 10.37 (0.78) 1.27 (0.07)
disintegration .
AG3 24.44 (0.65) 10.25 (0.44) 1.12 (0.03)
AG4 22.77(0.55) 12.52 (0.37) 1.10 (0.02)
Table 3: Evaluation parameter of tablets
Weight variation Hardness test Friability Disintegration Wetting time
2
Formulations (± SD), n=20 (kg/cm ) (%) Time (sec) (sec)
(± SD), n=6 (± SD), n=10 (± SD), n=6 (± SD), n=6
AG1 0.7 (1.34) 3.30 (0.00) 0.44 (0.03) 139 (2.00) 453 (11.00)
AG2 0.8 (1.34) 3.40 (0.44) 0.40 (0.07) 122 (3.00) 390 (9.00)
AG3 0.6(1.20) 3.20 (0.65) 0.52 (0.04) 88(4.00) 190 (8.00)
AG4 0.5(0.65) 3.60 (0.82) 0.40 (0.08) 77 (5.00) 174 (3.00)
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