Formulation and Evaluation of Native and Modified Buckwheat (Fagopyrum Esculentum Moench) and Corn (Zea Mays L.) Starch Incorporated Paracetamol Tablets

Abstract

This study investigates the formulation and evaluation of paracetamol drug tablets using native and modified starches derived from buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum M.) and corn (Zea mays L.). The starches were isolated and modified with physically modified treatments; Heat Moisture Treatment (HMT) and Annealing (ANN). Key characteristics of starch, including amylose content, swelling power, solubility, and morphology, were analyzed. Tablets were prepared using wet granulation method followed by punching and granules were evaluated for bulk density, tapped density, Carr’s index, Hausner’s ratio, and angle of repose. Tablets formulated with modified starches demonstrated superior mechanical properties, such as increased hardness and reduced friability, compared to those made with native starches. Furthermore, drug release studies showed that tablets prepared with HMT-treated buckwheat starch exhibited a 74.24% drug release within 30 min, significantly more than those formulated with native starch. Similarly, ANN-treated corn starch achieved a remarkable drug release rate of 98.37% within the same period of time. These findings suggest that modified buckwheat starch can be a promising, sustainable alternative to conventional excipients like corn starch in pharmaceuticals for slow drug-release tablet formulations.