Investigation of Avocado Pear (Persea americana) Seed Starch as Binder and Disintegrant in the Formulation of Paracetamol Tablet

Background: Avocado pear seeds are usually discarded as agricultural waste, the need arises therefore, to investigate their potentials as pharmaceutical excipients. Objective: The objective of this research was to extract, characterize, formulate and do in-vitro evaluation of the formulated paracetamol tablets. Methods: Ripe avocado (Persea americana) fruits were harvested in the month of April from a farm at Okada town. The seeds were authenticated by a taxonomist at the Department of Plant Biology, University of Benin, with Harbarium number UB/PB/24 0201. The seeds were prepared, dried and milled to fine powder and extracted using a standard procedure by Silva et al., 2013. The powder was subjected to phytochemical analysis and characterized for its micromeritic properties, and high-resolution analyses using differential scanning calorimetry, fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy and x-ray diffractometry. Batches of paracetamol granules were prepared with avocado starch powder as disintegrant (2.5 - 15%w/w) and starch mucilage as binder (5.0 – 15 %w/v) using the wet granulation method. Granule flow properties were investigated before compression into tablets. Tablets were evaluated for physicochemical properties and drug-excipient interaction was investigated using DSC and FTIR. Results: Phytochemistry shows presence of saponins, flavonoids, tannins, alkaloids and glycosides. The starch was light-brown, odorless, tasteless and smooth in texture. Slightly soluble in water at room temperature, melting point range 102 - 114°C, moisture content 22.7 ± 2.40%; hydration capacity 2.76 ± 1.20 (g/g), swelling and moisture sorption capacities of 46.43 ± 1.50% and 115.34 ± 1.55%, respectively. Thermogram exhibited a single sharp peak of the extracted starch, FTIR shows no interactions, SEM and XRD results confirmed semi-crystalline powder with fluffy discrete particles. Granules exhibited fair to good flow properties; the tablets were uniform in weight, mean hardness values ≥ 58.84 N, friability 0.14 -1.56 %, disintegration times 0.50 – 11.12 mins and variable drug release 72.78 - 90.67% in 1.0 h. sssConclusion: Tablets formulated with the extracted starch as disintegrant gave superior tablet properties, hence a viable local substitute that can be employed at higher concentrations as super-disintegrant and good mucilage binder at higher %w/v concentrations for oral solid dosage formulations.