ABSTRACT

The aim of this study was to evaluate the direct compression behaviour of co-processed cassava starch and colloidal silica in the formulation of metronidazole tablets. Cassava starch was extracted from freshly harvested roots of Manihot glaziovii obtained from IITA farms, Shika, Zaria. Subsequently, it was co-processed with colloidal silica at varying ratios (95:5, 96:4, 97:3, 98:2 and 99:1). Preliminary screening was conducted on the five combinations by determining the crushing strength and disintegration time to select the optimal ratio. Characterization studies were carried out on all combinations by determining its powder properties. Tablets were then formulated by direct compression using metronidazole as a model for poorly compressible drugs in comparison with Prosolv® and StarLac®. The results obtained from the study revealed that tablets produced with the co-processed excipient compared well with Prosolv® and StarLac®. This confirms that there was an improvement in the direct compression functionality of starch when co-processed with colloidal silica.