Isolation and Evaluation of Tamarind Seed Coat Mucilage as Pharmaceutical Suspending Agent

Natural polymers, specifical mucilages, have been used as a suspending agent for a long period of time. Natural excipients can serve as an alternative to synthetic products since they are less expensive, less toxic, and devoid of environmental pollution. The present study was undertaken to evaluate the mucilage isolated from Tamarindusindica (Fabaceae) seed coat, commonly named tamarind, as an innovative suspending agent. Paracetamol suspensions (10% w/v) were prepared using the T. indica seed coat mucilage as a suspending agent, and it was evaluated for parameters like physical stability, sedimentation profile, dispersibility, and flow property. Furthermore, it was assessed for its stability. The effect of the tested mucilage on the suspension was compared with commonly used suspending agents, i.e. sodium carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) at concentrations of 0.5, 1.0, and 1.5% w/v. The results obtained indicated that the T. indica seed coat mucilage could be used as a suspending agent.