Hicel™ silicified microcrystalline cellulose, versatile excipient for nutraceutical herbal tablet formulation

Nutraceutical herbal medicine and supplements demand increases day by day. Herbal medicine normally contains lipids, protein, carbohydrate, vitamins, minerals and other necessary nutrients depending upon their emphases. Generally, all herbal extracts powder nature is fine poor flowable, sticky powder and having poor compressibility. In this study, we have made 1600 curcumin tablet,1000 mg saw palmetto (Seranoarepens) tablet and 600 mg ginger tablet by direct compression method using two direct compressible binder Silicified Microcrystalline Cellulose (SMCC) and Microcrystalline Cellulose (MCC). Pre-compression of powder blend and post compression of Nutraceutical herbal extracts tablet were studied and compared. Result showed that thickness, weight variation, friability, hardness and content uniformity of all six formulations were within the acceptance limits. But the formulation having SMCC (F1, F2 and F3) gives better results regarding better flowability and compressibility, less weight variation in tablet weight, good tablet hardness, lower friability compared to the MCC based formulations (F4, F5 and F6). Hence, the study concluded that Nutraceutical herbal extracts tablet formulated using SMCC showed better characteristics, and tablet profile.