Isolation of Starch from Navy Beans (Phaseolus Vulgaris) and Evaluation as Binder in Pharmaceutical Formulation

This study aimed to isolate starch from Navy beans (Phaseolus vulgaris) and evaluate its use as a binder in pharmaceutical tablet formulations. Starch, a natural polysaccharide, is widely used in the pharmaceutical industry due to its excellent binding, disintegrating, and filler properties. Despite being a rich source of starch, legumes like navy beans remain underutilized for this purpose. In this research, starch was extracted from navy bean seeds using three methods: sodium chloride (NaCl) solution-assisted extraction, sodium metabisulphite treatment, and enzyme-assisted ultra-sonication. The isolated starches were incorporated into Diclofenac sodium tablet formulations at different concentrations to assess their binding performance. Granules were prepared using wet granulation and evaluated for flow properties, bulk and tapped densities, and compressibility index. The resulting tablets were tested for hardness, friability, disintegration time, and drug release. Among the methods, starch extracted using sodium metabisulphite demonstrated superior binding properties, producing tablets with optimal mechanical strength, low friability, and rapid disintegration. The study highlights navy bean starch as a promising, cost-effective, and sustainable pharmaceutical excipient. Future research may explore its application sustained-release formulations and compatibility with a broader range of active pharmaceutical ingredients.