Abstract

FORMULATION OF ORAL CAPSULES FROM ASENA HERBAL DECOCTION USED TRADITIONALLY IN GHANA FOR THE TREATMENT OF ARTHRITIS

Doris Kumadoh*, Joseph Adotey, Kwabena Ofori-Kwakye, Samuel Lugrie Kipo, Thomford Prah, Sowah Patterson

ABSTRACT

The study sought to transform Asena herbal decoction produced by the Centre for Scientific Research into Plant Medicine (CSRPM), Mampong-Akwapim, Ghana, into oral capsules. Asena decoction is a popular herbal remedy used in Ghana for the treatment of arthritis and generalized body pains. The amount of dry extract per dose (30ml) of Asena decoction was 402.3 ± 2.5 mg. The wavelength of maximum absorption (λ max) of aqueous solutions of Asena extract was determined to be 278 nm. Light magnesium carbonate, maize starch and bentonite were used as absorbents at five different weights (40, 80, 160, 180 and 200 mg /dose) of Asena decoction to prepare granules of the extract. The granules prepared generally had good flow properties. The dissolution profiles of the formulated granules were determined by UV-Visible spectrophotometry. Maize starch (87.45 ± 1.82 % -97.19 ± 1.46 %) and bentonite (83.94 ± 1.69 % -98.15 ± 1.96 %) showed very good release of the extract in aqueous medium while light magnesium carbonate (16.75 ± 3.40 % - 37.89 ± 1.54 %) exhibited poor release of the extract at all concentrations of absorbent used. Oral capsules of Asena were successfully formulated using maize starch as absorbent at a concentration of 200 mg /dose. The capsules passed the British Pharmacopoeia uniformity of weight test (range of deviation: - 4.19 to 1.18 %), disintegration test (8.03 ± 0.13 min) and dissolution test (79.82 ± 2.36 % dissolved at 45 min). The study has shown the potential of Asena oral capsules as a suitable substitute for Asena decoction for the treatment of arthritis and pain.

Keywords: Herbal medicines, absorbents, granules, dissolution, decoction, capsules.