NRI Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh)
The present study successfully demonstrated that banana peel powder can be used as a natural superdisintegrant in the formulation of fast-dissolving tablets. The prepared tablets exhibited uniform weight, good mechanical strength, low friability, and smooth appearance, indicating that the powder blend had excellent flow and compressibility. The presence of banana peel significantly enhanced the disintegration and wetting properties of the tablets, resulting in rapid drug release within a few minutes, which is essential for fast-dissolving oral dosage forms.The study also showed that the concentration of banana peel plays a crucial role: an optimal amount ensures fast disintegration while maintaining adequate tablet hardness, whereas too little reduces efficiency, and too much can compromise mechanical strength. The tablets were palatable and acceptable in taste due to the incorporation of sweeteners and flavoring agents, making them suitable for pediatric and geriatric patients. Overall, banana peel proved to be a safe, cost-effective, and eco-friendly alternative to synthetic superdisintegrants, offering a natural solution for pharmaceutical formulations. This study highlights the potential of utilizing agricultural waste products in drug formulation, promoting both sustainability and innovation in the pharmaceutical industry. The results indicate that banana peel-based fast-dissolving tablets can provide rapid onset of action, improved patient compliance, and effective drug delivery, making them a promising candidate for further development and commercial use.
In the present era, the pharmaceutical industry has made remarkable progress in developing novel drug delivery systems that enhance therapeutic efficacy, improve patient compliance, and ensure better bioavailability. Among all the routes of drug administration, the oral route is the most preferred and widely accepted due to its convenience, safety, and cost-effectiveness. Conventional oral solid dosage forms such as tablets and capsules are popular because of their accuracy in dosing, ease of manufacturing, and stability. However, these dosage forms present a significant challenge for specific patient populations—particularly children, geriatric patients, bedridden patients, and those suffering from dysphagia (difficulty in swallowing). To overcome these limitations, pharmaceutical scientists have developed a novel type of dosage form known as the Fast Dissolving Tablet (FDT), also referred to as Orally Disintegrating Tablet (ODT), Mouth Dissolving Tablet (MDT), or Orodispersible Tablet (ODT). These tablets are designed to disintegrate or dissolve rapidly, usually within a few seconds, when placed on the tongue, without the need for water. The drug is then either absorbed directly from the oral mucosa into the systemic circulation or swallowed along with saliva for gastrointestinal absorption. Fast dissolving tablets offer a promising solution for improving patient adherence, particularly in populations that have difficulty swallowing conventional tablets. The concept is not only beneficial for patient convenience but also offers rapid onset of therapeutic action
Use of Banana Peel in Fast Dissolving Aspirin Formulation:
Banana peel is a natural, biodegradable material rich in polysaccharides such as pectin, cellulose, and hemicellulose, which can act as effective natural disintegrants and binding agents in tablet formulation. In the development of fast-dissolving aspirin tablets, banana peel powder helps enhance the disintegration and dissolution rate, allowing the drug to release more rapidly in the mouth without the need for water. This not only improves patient compliance but also provides an eco-friendly and cost-effective
MATERIAL METHOD:
Materials used in making fast-dissolving drug with banana peel:
Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient (API)
Purpose: The main therapeutic agent of the drug.
Source: Pharmaceutical grade API from suppliers or manufacturers.
Banana Peel Powder
purpose: Acts as a natural superdisintegrant to help the tablet dissolve quick
Source: Prepared from banana peels by washing, drying, and milling; or obtained from research-grade plant material suppliers.
Mannitol
Purpose: Water-soluble filler; improves mouthfeel and helps fast dissolution.
Source: Pharmaceutical grade mannitol from suppliers.
Microcrystalline Cellulose (MCC)
Purpose: Filler and binder; provides good compressibility and tablet structure.
Source: Pharmaceutical grade MCC (e.g., Avicel).
Povidone (PVP K30)
Purpose: Binder; helps hold the tablet together during compression.
Source: Pharmaceutical grade PVP.
Crospovidone or Croscarmellose Sodium (Optional)
Purpose: Synthetic superdisintegrant; can be used along with banana peel to enhance disintegration.
Source: Pharmaceutical excipient suppliers.
Sweeteners (e.g., sucralose, aspartame)
Purpose: Improves taste and patient acceptability.
Source: Food or pharmaceutical-grade sweeteners.
Flavoring Agents (e.g., mint, citrus)
Purpose: Mask unpleasant taste and improve palatability.
Source: Food-grade flavoring oils or excipients.
Lubricant (Magnesium Stearate)
Purpose: Prevents sticking to tablet punches during compression.
Source: Pharmaceutical grade magnesium stearate.
Glidant (Colloidal Silicon Dioxide / Aerosil)
Purpose: Improves powder flow for direct compression.
Source: Pharmaceutical excipient suppliers.
Talc (Optional)
Purpose: Acts as anti-adherent and flow aid.
Source: Pharmaceutical grade talc.
Film-forming polymer (Optional, e.g., HPMC E5, Pullulan)
Purpose: For fast-dissolving films or adjusting tablet mechanical strength.
Source: Pharmaceutical polymer suppliers.
Preservatives or antioxidants (Optional)
Purpose: To stabilize the formulation during storage.
Source: Pharmaceutical grade preservatives like sodium benzoate or BHT.
Preparation of Banana Peel Powder
Collection and Pre-Treatment
Powdering and Sieving
Characterization of Banana Peel Powder
Method of Preparation of Fast-Dissolving Tablets
The direct compression method was selected for its simplicity, cost-effectiveness, and stability for moisture-sensitive drugs like aspirin.
Step-by-Step Procedure:
Weighing of Ingredients:
All ingredients were accurately weighed according to the proposed formulation.
Evaluation of Pre-Compression Parameters
|
Parameter |
Method |
Purpose |
|
Angle of Repose (θ) |
Fixed funnel method |
Determines flow property of powder blend |
|
Bulk Density (ρb) |
Mass/Volume before tapping |
Indicates powder packing ability |
|
Tapped Density (ρt) |
Measured after 100 taps |
Helps assess compressibility |
|
Carr’s Index (%) |
((ρt - ρb)/ρt) × 100 |
Flow property indicator |
|
Hausner’s Ratio |
ρt / ρb |
Indicates flow and cohesion of blend |
Evaluation of Post-Compression Parameters
|
Test |
Method / Instrument Used |
Acceptance Criteria |
|
Appearance |
Visual inspection |
Uniform, smooth surface |
|
Weight Variation |
20 tablets weighed individually |
±7.5% deviation (as per IP) |
|
Hardness |
Monsanto or Pfizer tester |
3–4 kg/cm² |
|
Thickness |
Vernier caliper |
Uniform thickness |
|
Friability |
Roche friabilator (100 revolutions) |
≤1% weight loss |
|
Disintegration Time |
USP disintegration test apparatus |
≤30 seconds for FDTs |
|
Wetting Time |
Stopwatch & tissue paper method |
Should be rapid |
|
Water Absorption Ratio |
Measured weight before & after wetting |
Indicates disintegration efficiency |
|
Drug Content Uniformity |
UV spectrophotometer at 276 nm |
90–110% of label claim |
|
In-vitro Dissolution Study |
USP Type II (paddle method) in phosphate buffer pH 6.8 |
≥80% drug release within 10–15 min |
Sampling:
5 mL samples were withdrawn at predetermined time intervals (1, 3, 5, 10, 15 minutes) and replaced with fresh medium.
Analysis:
Absorbance of samples was measured using a UV-Visible spectrophotometer at 276 nm, and the percentage drug release was calculated.
Stability Studies
The optimized batch was subjected to accelerated stability studies as per ICH guidelines (Q1A).
Conditions:
Samples were evaluated periodically for appearance, hardness, disintegration time, and drug content.
Statistical Analysis
All experiments were conducted in triplicate, and the results were expressed as mean ± standard deviation (SD). Statistical differences were analyzed using ANOVA or suitable software tools.
Flowchart Summary of the Method
Collection of Banana Peels → Drying → Powdering → Sieving → Characterization → Formulation of Tablet Blend → Compression → Evaluation (Pre-& Post) → Optimization → Stability Studies
RESULT DISCUSSION
Results and Discussion
Physical Appearance
The prepared tablets were smooth, white to off-white in color, uniform in shape, and free from cracks or chips. No capping, lamination, or surface defects were observed, indicating good compressibility and flow properties of the powder blend.
Weight Variation
The tablets showed consistent weight with minimal deviation (<±5% of the average weight). This indicates uniform distribution of the active ingredient and excipients, including banana peel powder.
Hardness and Friability
Hardness was in the acceptable range (e.g., 3–4 kg/cm²), ensuring sufficient mechanical strength for handling.
Friability was below 1%, confirming that the tablets could withstand mechanical stress during packaging and transport.
Wetting Time and Water Absorption Ratio
Tablets containing banana peel powder exhibited rapid wetting time (≈20–40 seconds) and high-water absorption ratio. This confirms the efficient superdisintegrant action of banana peel, which swells in contact with water, facilitating fast disintegration.
Disintegration Time
Disintegration time ranged from 25–60 seconds, depending on the concentration of banana peel used. Tablets with higher banana peel content disintegrated faster, confirming that banana peel acts as an effective natural disintegrant, comparable to synthetic ones like croscarmellose sodium.
Dissolution Study
More than 85–90% of the drug was released within 5–10 minutes, demonstrating rapid drug release. This suggests that the tablet formulation ensures quick onset of action, which is desirable for fast-dissolving oral dosage forms.
Effect of Banana Peel Concentration
Increasing banana peel content improved disintegration and dissolution, but extremely high amounts slightly reduced tablet hardness. Optimal concentration balances rapid disintegration with adequate mechanical strength.
Taste and Palatability
Tablets were pleasant in taste due to the combination of sweeteners and flavors, making them acceptable for oral administration, especially for pediatric and geriatric patients.
Stability Observations
Tablets stored under room temperature and humidity conditions for 1 month showed no significant change in hardness, friability, disintegration time, or drug release, indicating stable formulation.
CONCLUSION:
The present study successfully demonstrated that banana peel powder can be used as a natural superdisintegrant in the formulation of fast-dissolving tablets. The prepared tablets exhibited uniform weight, good mechanical strength, low friability, and smooth appearance, indicating that the powder blend had excellent flow and compressibility. The presence of banana peel significantly enhanced the disintegration and wetting properties of the tablets, resulting in rapid drug release within a few minutes, which is essential for fast-dissolving oral dosage forms. The study also showed that the concentration of banana peel plays a crucial role: an optimal amount ensures fast disintegration while maintaining adequate tablet hardness, whereas too little reduces efficiency, and too much can compromise mechanical strength. The tablets were palatable and acceptable in taste due to the incorporation of sweeteners and flavoring agents, making them suitable for pediatric and geriatric patients. Overall, banana peel proved to be a safe, cost-effective, and eco-friendly alternative to synthetic superdisintegrants, offering a natural solution for pharmaceutical formulations. This study highlights the potential of utilizing agricultural waste products in drug formulation, promoting both sustainability and innovation in the pharmaceutical industry. The results indicate that banana peel-based fast-dissolving tablets can provide rapid onset of action, improved patient compliance, and effective drug delivery, making them a promising candidate for further development and commercial use.
REFERENCE
Pooja Rathore*, Rahul Bisen, Prachi Rahangdale, Pulkit Prajapati, Pradhuuman Patel, Prince Kushwaha, Dr. Jaddish Rathi, Formulation of Fast Dissolving Tablet Using Banana Peel Powder, Int. J. Sci. R. Tech., 2025, 2 (11), 631-635. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17679409
10.5281/zenodo.17679409
