Compatibility Studies of Cissus populnea and Grewia mollis Gums as Pharmaceutical Binders for Tablets

The increasing demand for sustainable, biocompatible and cost-effective pharmaceutical excipients has prompted the exploration of natural polysaccharides as alternatives to synthetic binders in tablet formulations. This study investigates the compatibility and suitability of two plant-derived gums, Cissus gum (from Cissus populnea) and Grewia gum (from Grewia mollis), as pharmaceutical binders for tablets, using Paracetamol as a model drug. Cissus and Grewia gums were extracted from local sources, and their yields and physicochemical properties were determined. Yield of 33.5 and 32.3% for Cissus and Grewia gums, and flow rate of 3.2 and 4.7 respectively are good physicochemical features. Compatibility with Paracetamol was assessed using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) and Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) to detect potential interactions. Results showed that both mixtures of model drug (PCM) and sample gums (Cissus and Grewia) did not alter the functional and characteristic peaks on FT-IR spectra and DSC thermograms, conferring compatibility. The findings of this study provide insights into the potential of Cissus and Grewia gums as eco-friendly, cost-effective alternatives in pharmaceutical tablet manufacturing, contributing to the development of sustainable excipients for drug delivery systems.