Evaluation of Setaria Italica Starch as Pharmaceutical Excipient

A study has been carried out to investigate the physicochemical, binding and disintegrating properties of millet starch obtained from Setaria italica (Family Gramineae). The isolated starch has been evaluated and characterized for various parameters like ash values, loss on drying, viscosity, amylose content and preformulation studies like sieve analysis, micrometry, flow properties, moisture content, compatability studies and compared with that of commercial available maize starch. The tablets were prepared by wet and dry granulation methods using drugs paracetamol and aspirin respectively with Setaria italica starch and maize starch as binder, disintegrant, binder and disintegrant and were evaluated. The results showed that Setaria italica starch employed in paracetamol tablets as binder(15%) and disintegrant(10%) and in aspirin tablets as binder(5%) and disintegrant(15%) concentrations produced hard and good quality tablets, comparable in friability, weight variation, disintegration and dissolution time to tablets produced with maize starch. The results indicate that Setaria italica starch can be employed as an alternative binder to maize starch in the formulation of paracetamol and aspirin tablets.