Tablet disintegrant activities of new starch from immature pepino fruits

A new starch powder isolated by steeping process from pepino fruits (Solanum muricatum Aiton) as tablet disintegrant was compared with maize starch BP (MS) in paracetamol tablets prepared via wet granulation method. Increasing concentration resulted in slight increase in hardness and decrease in friability for MS, whereas hardness slightly decreased and friability marginally increased for PS. PS absorbed least moisture followed by MS. PS formulations showed longer disintegration time than MS. However disintegration time was comparable at 10% w/w concentration: PS, 4.7; and MS, 5.0 min. PS is likely to initiate disintegration by swelling and capillary action. Drug dissolution (70%) was within 30 min. Thus PS powder appears to be a suitable substitute for MS as internal disintegrant in paracetamol tablet formulations.