The use of a starch obtained from Dioscorea abyssinica in tablet formulations - 2nd communication: The sodium starch glycolate from Dioscorea abyssinica as a disintegrant

A sodium starch glycolate prepared from Dioscorea starch (SSG-D) was evaluated for its disintegration efficiency in alpha-lactose monohydrate and dicalcium phosphate dihydrate tablets. The results were compared with tablets containing Explotab (EXPT). In a-lactose monohydrate tablets, where the disintegration mechanism depended on the rates of water uptake, SSG-D was found to be more efficient at lower concentrations than EXPT. Tablets prepared with SSG-D exhibited shorter disintegration times and faster rates of water uptake. EXPT was either equally or more efficient than SSG-D only at higher concentrations. For both disintegrants the disintegration times of lactose tablets increased with concentration. The disintegration times of Dicalcium phosphate (DCP) tablets, on the other hand, were not significantly influenced by the type of the disintegrant. However, the rates of water uptake and swelling were greater in those DCP tablets containing EXPT, but the amount of water uptake and the extent of swelling were invariably greater with those containing SSG-D. The disintegration times of DCP tablets were less influenced by the concentration of the disintegrant. Generally, the disintegration times of lactose tablets decreased with increased compressional force, while those of DCP tablets increased.