Abstract

Owing to multifarious potentialities and fine aroma chemicals, Ocimum basilicum possessed medicinal properties like antibiotic, antistress, diaphoretic, diuretic, antipyretic, stomachic, antimicrobial and insecticidal. The main aim of this study was to isolate and characterize mucilage obtained from Ocimum basilicum seeds as a pharmaceutical excipient. Phytochemical characterization of the isolated mucilage was performed and presence of carbohydrates, fats and oils was detected using identification tests. Compressibility performance of the isolated mucilage was evaluated using the Heckel plot study, which showed that the isolated mucilage has poor compressibility properties. Results indicated that the mucilage could be a potential superdisintegrant for formulating fast disintegrating tablets of metoprolol tartarate. The way of addition of mucilage, concentration and the method of preparation all were found to influence fast disintegrating tablet performance. From these results it is possible to conclude that Ocimum basilicum seed mucilage could be used in direct compression with other excipients and in wet granulation technology as a superdisintegrant.