title: Material and Compression Properties of Cedrela odorata Gum Co-Processed with Plantain Starch and Microcrystalline Cellulose.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Many excipients used in tableting exhibit some undesirable properties such as poor flow, cohesion and lubricating characteristics, thus necessitating some modification to achieve the desired product.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The objective of this study was to enhance the material, flow and compressional properties of Cedrela odorata gum (COG) (Family: Meliaceae) by co-processing with plantain starch (PS) and microcrystalline cellulose (MCC).
  
  
  METHODS
  The COG was co-processed with PS (or MCC) by physical co-grinding at ratio 1 : 1, 1 : 2 and 1 : 4, and characterized using morphological analysis, swelling index viscosity measurements, particle size analysis and FTIR spectra. The material, flow and compressional properties of the co-processed excipients were also evaluated. Results were analyzed using mean and standard deviation of data.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was a decrease in the degree of agglomeration of COG and a reduction in the size of the powdered gum. The co-processed excipients were more spherical than the native excipients. The COG had the highest viscosity, while MCC and COG : PS (1 : 2) showed the highest and lowest degrees of swelling at 27.0 ± 0.05°C respectively. Water absorption capacity of the component excipients improved with co-processing COG : MCC increasing from 171.8 ± 1.54 (1 : 1) to 214.8 ± 1.07 (1 : 2), while COG : PS increased from 95.2 ± 0.08 (1 : 1) to 206.2 ± 0.13. There was a decrease in the percentage solubility of the co-processed excipients with the highest and lowest solubility observed in COG (54.1 ± 0.07%) and PS (3.7 ± 0.16%), respectively. The FTIR spectra indicate no significant interaction between the excipients. The poor flow of the component excipients did not improve with co-processing; however, there was a significant increase in compressibility. Generally, COG co-processed with MCC showed better compression properties when compared with COG co-processed with PS.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Co-processing of COD with MC or PS enhanced the characters of the component excipients, thus making the co-processed excipients suitable for direct compression of tablets without altering the chemical nature of the component excipients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmaceutics and Industrial Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Oladapo Adewale
authors.initials: OA
authors.lastname: Adetunji
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmaceutics and Industrial Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Michael Ayodele
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Odeniyi
mesh_terms: D031587:Cedrela / Q000737:chemistry; D002626:Chemistry, Pharmaceutical; D005079:Excipients / Q000737:chemistry*; D010316:Particle Size; D053149:Plant Gums / Q000737:chemistry*; D010943:Plantago / Q000737:chemistry; D012995:Solubility; D017550:Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared; D013213:Starch / Q000737:chemistry*; D013607:Tablets / Q000737:chemistry*; D014783:Viscosity
chemical_list: D005079:Excipients; D053149:Plant Gums; D013607:Tablets; D013213:Starch
keywords: Cedrela gum; co-processing; microcrystalline cellulose; packing properties; plantain starch