Application of microcrystalline cellulose from Saccharum officinarum as dry binder in ciprofloxacin tablet formulation

This work was aimed at the application of microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) obtained from Saccharum officinarum stem pulp (coded MCC-Sacc) as a dry binder in the formulation of ciprofloxacin hydrochloride tablets. Formulations containing 250 mg ciprofloxacin hydrochloride powder and different ratios of MCC-Sacc were mixed dry and compressed into tablets. Some physical properties and dissolution studies of the ciprofloxacin tablets was done using the British Pharmacopoeia (BP) method. Avicel PH 102 was used as comparing standard. Res ults show tablets that conformed with BP specifications in terms of weight (300 mg ± 5 %), hardness (4.74 ± 1.41 to 6.00 ± 1.05 kg/F), friability of ≤ 1 %, and disintegration time (3.20 ± 0.01 to 3.79 ± 0.37 min). The drug dissolution studies for both MCCs showed more than 80 % release of ciprofloxacin within 60 min. Ciprofloxacin tablets containing MCC-Sacc compared favourably with those containing Avicel PH 102 in terms of uniformity of tablet weight and disintegration time. Tablets containing Avicel PH 102 were significantly (p < 0.05) harder and less friable than those containing MCC-Sacc. Thus, MCC-Sacc served as a good dry binder and has a good potential as a directly compressible excipient in the formulation of ciprofloxacin tablets.Keywords: Microcrystalline cellulose; Saccharum officinarum; Dry binder; Avicel PH 102; British Pharmacopoeia