Enhancing carrageenan-based capsule shell formulation from kappaphycus striatum for accelerated disintegration time with multiple disintegrant

Abstract

Abstract Recently, seaweed-based capsule shells have become more popular because of their reliable quality and animal-free source. But these shells’ prolonged disintegration times are a common problem. This research aims to look for formulations with disintegrant substitution or a combination of several disintegrants to obtain capsule shells that disintegrate quickly. Several studies have explored the incorporation of additional disintegrants such as Polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) K-30, Sodium starch glycolate (primogel), Croscarmellose sodium (SSC), and Sodium carboxymethylcellulose (Na-CMC) to address this challenge. The study investigates various combinations of disintegrants in the formulation of capsule shells to achieve rapid disintegration time. The variation in composition of disintegrants was determined using Simplex Lattice Design (SLD) in Design Expert® 13.0.12. Balancing the desirable characteristics of quick disintegration with other factors posed a significant challenge. All types of disintegrants exerted a notable influence on the response variables. To achieve a substantial reduction in disintegration time, the utilization of primogel is strongly recommended. However, it should be noted that primogel contains minerals that do not disintegrate, resulting in an elevated ash content. In contrast, PVP K-30 demonstrates promising performance but falls slightly short of primogel’s efficacy in accelerating disintegration. Additionally, PVP K-30 exhibits a marked advantage in minimizing ash content within the capsule shell. Optimization results indicate that a combination of PVP K-30 and primogel yields a capsule shell with the fastest disintegration time, approximately 23.908 minutes, while maintaining a minimal ash content of 10.487%.