Marmara Pharmaceutical Journal 20: 353-367, 2016 DOI: 10.12991/mpj.20162032588 ORIGINAL RESEARCH 353 Investigation on binding properties of Grewia asiatica mucilage in tablet formulations Archana Chaudhary, Rajendra Awasthi, Pravin Kumar Department of Pharmaceutics, Laureate Institute of Pharmacy, Kathog, Jawalamukhi, Kangra, Himachal Pradesh, India 176031 Giriraj T Kulkarni Amity Institute of Pharmacy, Amity University, Sector 125, Noida 201303, Uttar Pradesh, India Corresponding author: Rajendra Awasthi Tel: +91-9459234530 email: awasthi02@gmail.com Submitted/Gönderilme: 26.05.2016 Revised/Düzeltme: 18.07.2016 Accepted/Kabul: 25.07.2016 Archana CHAUDHARY, Giriraj T KULKARNi, Rajendra AWASTHi, Pravin KUMAR ABSTRACT Te binding property of Grewia asiatica mucilage was evaluated at 0.25-0.1% concentrations. Te mucilage was extracted by cold maceration method and characterized for its swelling index, moisture absorption capacity, solubility, organoleptic characters and purity. Te mucilage was also investigated for its toxicity, microbial growth and texture. Tablets were prepared by a wet granulation using paracetamol as a model drug. Te granules were evaluated for micromeritics properties, percentage of fines and moisture content. Te tablets were evaluated for appearance, weight variation, friability, thickness, hardness, disintegration time, drug content and in vitro drug release. It was observed that the friability percentage was decreased with an increase in mucilage concentration. Hardness of the tablet was increased with an increase in mucilage concentration and was found to be in the acceptable range. Disintegration time was found to be less than 15 min for all the four batches. Drug content was found to be in the range of 93.0- 98.08% for all the formulations. More than 80% of the drug was released within 30 min during the in vitro dissolution study. Keywords: Grewia asiatica, excipients, mucilage, binder, Kitazawa. INTRODUCTION Excipients are pharmacologically inactive substances used as a carrier for the active ingredients in the manufacture of dosage forms (1). In general, the active substances may not be easily administered alone and they need to be converted into an appropriate form suitable for the administration, with the help of excipients. Excipients are also used to increase the bulk of formulation to allow for convenient and accurate dosage (2, 3). Te natural polymers are cheap, easily available, less toxic and non irritant in nature. Mucilages are the high- molecular-weight (˃200,000) metabolic byproduct of plant cell. Tese are sticky and gummy substances, acting as a membrane thickener and food reserve. Te chief industrial sources of mucilages are Icelandic and Irish moss, slippery elm bark, linseed, locust bean and quince seeds. Mucilages are esters of sulphuric acid wherein an ester group is a polysaccharide compound (4, 5). Binders are pharmaceutical excipients used in tablet manufacturing to impact cohesion and aggregation on the powder mix for the improved fow properties of the granules and to impart the structural strength to tablet. For a successful