Exploring the super-disintegrating properties of fenugreek seed mucilage for fast-dissolving amlodipine tablets

Fast dissolving tablets of amlodipine besylate were developed to improve patient compliance for hypertension treatment. Trigonella foenum-graecum (fenugreek) seed mucilage was used as a superdisintegrant in the formulation of fast dissolving tablets by direct compression method. Eight formulations with varying concentrations of fenugreek mucilage, microcrystalline cellulose, lactose and other excipients were prepared and evaluated for physicomechanical properties, drug-excipient compatibility, disintegration time, wetting time, water absorption ratio and in-vitro dissolution. The optimized formulation F6 containing 5% fenugreek mucilage, 75mg microcrystalline cellulose, 90mg lactose showed a disintegration time of 14 seconds, wetting time of 22 seconds and 90% water absorption. In-vitro drug release of 63% was observed within 15 minutes from F6 formulation. Physical and chemical stability studies showed the optimized F6 formulation was stable for 3 months at 40 °C/75%RH. Hence, fenugreek seed mucilage can be effectively used for developing amlodipine besylate fast dissolving tablets with improved patient compliance.