Department of Pharmaceutics and Pharmaceutical Technology, University of Port Harcourt, Port Harcourt, Rivers state, Nigeria
Okorie, O., Department of Pharmaceutics and Pharmaceutical Technology, University of Port Harcourt, Port Harcourt, Rivers state, Nigeria; Nwachukwu, N., Department of Pharmaceutics and Pharmaceutical Technology, University of Port Harcourt, Port Harcourt, Rivers state, Nigeria
This study aims at the possibility of using the dry gum of Aloe barbadensis (Family Liliaceae) as a suspending agent for zinc oxide suspension. The suspending properties of the test material or gum was evaluated and compared with other known compounds such as acacia and Sodium carboxymethylcellulose (NaCMC) at concentrations of 1% W/V, 2% W/V, and 4% W/V in zinc oxide suspension. The dry gum exudate was characterized and the suspension obtained there from evaluated for sedimentation volume (%), pH, redispersibility, and organoleptic properties. The stability of the formulation increased with increase in gum concentration and results obtained shows that the gum has good and stable suspending properties although at equivalent concentrations, both acacia and NaCMC had better suspending properties. Thus aloe gum can be used in preparations where low viscosity is desirable or its concentration doubled or tripled at higher viscosity requirements.