FORMULATION AND EVALUATION OF DISPERSIBLE TABLETS OF FLAVONOID PGAL ISOLATED FROM SARACA ASOCA LEAVES

Abstract

Objective: The study aimed to design and evaluate a dispersible tablet of flavonoid PGAL isolated from Saraca asoca leaves for antidepressant activity. Methods: The phytoconstituent was isolated from a methanolic extract of Saraca asoca leaves using silica gel column (60-120 mesh) chromatography. The dispersible tablets were prepared by direct compression and then evaluated for various tablet evaluation parameters and antidepressant activity, performing Tail Suspension Test (TST), Forced Swim Test (FST), Locomotion activity, Brain glutamate level and brain nitrite level. Results: Hardness of 2.85±0.13 kg/cm2 to 3.25±0.15 kg/cm2 and friability of 0.35% to 0.48% indicate that the prepared tablets were mechanically sound. Test for weight variation was also within tolerance limits, i.e. 2.04% to 4.25% difference in weight of the tablet from the average weight of 10 tablets. The tablets also passed the test for drug content uniformity, 97.35% to 100.35%, i.e. always within the prescribed limits of 95% to 105%. Disintegration time, 2 min to 2.75 min, and dispersion time, 3.25 min to 3.75 min, were also exemplary. The antidepressant activity was displayed by the optimized formulation as indicated by a significant decrease (p<0.05) in immobility time in TST as well as FST; a significant decrease (p<0.05) in the level of brain tissue glutamate as well as nitrite in PGAL formulation treated mice when compared with negative control, as did by standard drug fluoxetine. Conclusion: The formulation has been optimized based on dispersion time. The formulation with minimum dispersion time, i.e. F1, has been considered an optimized formulation. The prepared optimized formulation was found to comply with all physical parameters and antidepressant activity.