Production and Evaluation of Disintegrant Properties of Microcrystalline Cellulose Derived from SaccharumofficinarumL (Poaceae) in Metronidazole Based Formulation

The aim of the study was to produce microcrystalline cellulose from Saccharumofficinarum and to evaluate its use as a disintegrant in metronidazole tablet formulation. Cellulose was produced and characterized. This was followed by a comparative characterization of the tablets formulated by using Saccharumofficinarummicrocrystalline cellulose (SO-MCC), maize starch and crosscarmellose sodium (Ac-di-sol®) as disintegrants. The granules were evaluated for flow properties and the tablet evaluated for hardness, friability, disintegration and dissolution properties. For disintegration studies, the disintegrants disintegrated within 10 minutes in this order: Ac-di-sol® >SO-MCC>Maize starch. All the tablets exhibited high release profile which conformed to British Pharmacopoeia standards. Hence, SO-MCC can be used as an alternative disintegrant in terms of cost and availability.