Influence of polyvinylpyrrolidone, microcrystalline cellulose and colloidal silicon dioxide on technological characteristics of a high-dose Petiveria alliacea tablet

Abstract

Purpose: Petiveria alliacea L. (Phytolaccaceae) is a perennial shrub used by its immunomodulatory, anticancerogenic and anti-inflammatory properties. This study determined the influence of polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP), colloidal silicon dioxide (CSD) and microcrystalline cellulose (MC) on the technological characteristic of a high-dose P. alliacea tablet prepared by the wet granulation method.

Methodology: The botanical and pharmacognostic analysis of the plant material was firstly performed, followed by a 2³ factorial design considering three factors at two levels: (a) the binder (PVP) incorporated in formulation at 10% and 15% (w/w); (b) the compacting agent (CSD) added at 10% and 15% (w/w) and; (c) the diluent (MC) included at 7.33% and 12.46% (w/w). The analysis of pharmaceutical performance and the accelerated and long-term stability of the best prototype were also completed.

Result and discussion: The binder, compacting agent and the interaction binder/diluent had a significant impact on breaking force of high-dose P. alliacea tablet. The optimum formula was found to contain 15% (w/w) of CSD, 7.33% (w/w) of MC and 10% (w/w) of PVP. At these conditions, the tablet shows a breaking force of 77.96 N, a friability of 0.39%, a total phenol content of 1.30 mg/tablet and a maximum disintegration time of 6 min.

Conclusions: The use of adequate amounts of PVP, MC and CSD as per the factorial design allowed the preparation of a tablet suitable for administration, despite the inappropriate flow and compressibility properties of the P. alliacea powder.

Keywords:

• High-dose plant tablet
• P. alliacea
• formulation
• binder
• diluent

Acknowledgements

The authors thank Amaury Chong-Quesada, Maricel Rodríguez and Jorge Bosh for their technical assistance and the Laboratorio Farmacéutico Oriente’ for the financial support of this investigation.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

The Laboratorio Farmacéutico ‘Oriente’, Santiago de Cuba, Cuba for the financial support of this investigation.