Research Article ASSESSMENT OF PHYSICOCHEMICAL PROPERTIES OF METRONIDAZOLE TABLETS MARKETED IN ZARIA, NIGERIA H.MUSA*, Y.Z. SULE, AND M.S. GWARZO 1 Department of Pharmaceutics and Pharmaceutical Microbiology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria, Email: hassanmusaf@yahoo.com Received: 22 May 2010, Revised and Accepted: 26 Jun 201 ABSTRACT Metronidazole is an antiparasitc agent used in the treatment of amoebiasis and other microbial diseases. It is an essential drug commonly sold in Nigerian Market. There are many different brands and dosage forms under various trade names by different pharmaceutical companies. In this study fifteen 15 brands/samples of metronidazole tablets marketed in pharmacy shops, hospitals and patent medicine vendor shops were randomly selected from different areas of Zaria. Label on the packages claims that all the samples contained 200mg of metronidazole per tablet. Some of the samples were manufactured in Nigeria while others were imported. All the samples examined were within their shelf life. The samples were subjected to official quality control tests such as active content uniformity, weight uniformity, disintegration and dissolution rate tests. The unofficial tests conducted included crushing strength/hardness, friability, and tablet thickness tests. All the brands passed the uniformity of weight, disintegration test, potency, dissolution and chemical identification tests. Six brands passed the crushing strength/hardness test, while two brands failed the friability test, The results indicate that only 60% of the sampled drugs passed the quality control tests. Keywords: Assessment, Quality, Metronidazole Tablets, Zaria. INTRODUCTION Metronodazole is an antiprotozoal, anti parasitic agent, very effective in the treatment of amoebiasis, trichomoniasis, giardiasis and many other parasitic diseases. It occurs as pale‐yellow crystals that is slightly soluble in water and alcohol 1 . There are many brands of metronidazole in the Nigerian market from different manufacturers. Some are manufactured locally and some imported. There are reliable evidence that some of them are fake, adulterated or substandard 2 . The calamities of fake and substandard drugs have caused a lot of health hazards to Nigerians and the necessity of controlling and preventing such practice is very necessary if we are to achieve health for all in Nigeria 3 and will greatly reduce Government spending on health due to disease and illnesses generated from the use of fake and substandard drugs and medicines. In this study attempt was made to investigate and assess the pharmaceutical quality of different brands of metronidazole 200mg tablets marketed in Zaria town in order to ascertain the quality of the products. MATERIALS AND METHODS Metronidazole 200mg tablets were randomly purchased from pharmacies, hospitals and patents medicine vendors shops in Zaria town. Fifteen 15 samples from different manufacturers, all of the samples were labelled to contain 200mg metronodazole per tablets. All the tablets were plain compressed and uncoated. Reagents and chemicals utilized were of analytical grade, water used in this work was double distilled, standard procedures were used in all the analysis. Samples were stored as they were obtained and in the conditions specified by the manufacturers prior to their essay. The samples were collected between 20 th January to 20 th February 2006 from seven 7 areas of Zaria namely: Samaru, Hanwa, Shika, Sabon – Gari, Tudun Wada, Tudun Jukun and Zaria City. The identity and specification of the various samples collected in the study is listed in Table 1. Table 1: Shows the different brands on of metronidazole 200mg tablets randomly picked as samples Code Number Country of Origin Manufacturing Date Expiry Date D India 02/2005 03/09 E Nigeria 10/2005 04/08 F China 05/2005 05/09 G Nigeria 01/2006 01/10 H Nigeria 09/2003 08/07 J Nigeria 11/2005 1/05 K India 11/2004 10/07 L Nigeria 01/2006 06/09 M Nigeria 07/2005 07/09 N India 03/2005 02/08 P Nigeria 03/2006 03/2011 Q Nigeria 02/2006 01/2011 R Nigeria 02/2006 02/2009 S Nigeria 02/2006 02/2009 T Nigeria 03.2005 20/2009 The following important quality control tests were conducted on the tablets as per BP 1993 and 2002. Disintegration time test Disintegration rate test for six tablets selected at random from each container were determined using a disintegration rate test unit Erweka disintegration machine Germany, in O.N HCl solution maintained at 37 ±1 0 C. One tablet was placed in one basket / unit of the medicine. International Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences ISSN- 0975-1491 Vol 3, Suppl 3, 2011