Abstract

A binder holds powders together to form granules and also provides the cohesiveness required for binding of the granules under compression to form a tablet. Some natural excipients are currently available for pharmaceutical formulation. Aim of this study was to extract the mucilage from different plants and to evaluate them as a binder. Here an effort was made to investigate the efficacy of mucilage obtained from seed of Fenugreek and Flax as tablet excipient. A Precipitation of soaked seed in acetone technique was developed to optimize the extraction of mucilage from the seeds of Fenugreek and Flax plants. Seed of both plants have been extracted by conventional method. The extracted mucilage has been evaluated for various physicochemical properties. Tablets were manufactured using extracted mucilage as a binding agent and comparison was made against the tablets prepared with mucilage as standard binder on studying standard parameters like diameter, thickness, hardness, friability and disintegration. Mucilage could be used as a binding agent for at low concentrations. This can be used for sustaining drug release from tablets.