The aim of the present study was to investigate the pharmaceutical and microbial qualities of 21 different (of various dosage forms) Herbal Medicinal Products (HMPs) sourced from some traditional medicine sales outlets and retail pharmacy outlets in south western Nigeria. Method: The pharmaceutical qualities evaluated include tablet crushing strength, friability, disintegration time; density of the solutions and suspensions; particle size and angle of repose of the powders. Phytochemical tests were carried out to assess the class of compounds present in the formulations and the microbial quality of the products was also evaluated. Results: The results show that twelve (57.1%) of the products had their manufacturing and expiry dates stated, nine (42.9%) products have been registered by NAFDAC and ten (47.6%) did not have their content stated but had their therapeutic claims indicated on the container. The tablet formulation (Product A) showed acceptable crushing strength and friability but failed the test for disintegration time. The angle of repose of the powder dosage forms were considerably high showing that the powders were highly cohesive and not free flowing. The microbial load of the products varied considerably. Ten (47.6%) of the samples were contaminated by E. coli, seven (33%) were contaminated by Salmonella, fifteen (71.4%) were contaminated by Staphylococcus aureus and twelve (57.1%) were contaminated by fungi. Conclusion: There is need for constant monitoring and control of the standards of herbal medicines available in the Nigerian market.

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Starches obtained from four Dioscorea species namely Dioscorea dumetorum (Bitter), Dioscorea oppositifolia (Chinese), Dioscorea alata (Water), and Dioscorea rotundata (White) have been evaluated as binding agents in chloroquine phosphate tablet formulations in comparison with official corn starch. The compressional properties of the formulations were analyzed using density measurements and the Heckel and Kawakita equations. The mechanical properties of the tablets were assessed using tensile strength, brittle fracture index (BFI), and friability tests while the drug release properties of the tablets were assessed using disintegration and dissolution times. The results indicate that the four starches vary considerably in their physicochemical properties. The ranking for the tensile strength and the disintegration and dissolution times for the formulations was Chinese > Bitter > Corn > White > Water while the ranking was reversed for BFI and friability. The results suggest that Water, White, and Corn could be useful when faster disintegration time of tablets is desired while Chinese and Bitter could be more useful when bond strength is of concern and in minimizing the problems of lamination and capping in tablet formulation.

Chinese yam (Dioscorea oppositifolia) starch modified by acid hydrolysis was characterized and compared with native starch as a binder in chloroquine phosphate tablet formulations. The physicochemical and compressional properties (using density measurements and the Heckel and Kawakita equations) of modified Chinese yam starch were determined, and its quantitative effects as a binder on the mechanical and release properties of chloroquine phosphate were analyzed using a 2 3 full factorial design. The nature (X 1 ), concentration of starch (X 2 ) and packing fraction (X 3 ) were taken as independent variables and the crushing strength-friability ratio (CSFR), disintegration time (DT) and dissolution time (t 80 ) as dependent variables. Acid-modified Chinese yam starch showed a marked reduction (p<0.05) in amylose content and viscosity but increased swelling and water-binding properties. The modified starch had a faster onset and greater amount of plastic flow. Changing the binder from native to acid-modified form led to significant increases (p<0.05) in CSFR and DT but a decrease in t 80. An increase in binder concentration and packing fraction gave similar results for CSFR and DT only. These results suggest that acid-modified Chinese yam starches may be useful as tablet binders when high bond strength and fast dissolution are required. Amido de inhame chinês (Dioscorea oppositifolia), modificado por meio de hidrólise ácida, foi caracterizado e avaliado como aglutinante em formulações de comprimidos de fosfato de cloroquina, em comparação com o amido nativo. Determinaram-se as propriedades físico-químicas e de compressão (utilizando medidas de densidade e as equações de Heckel e Kawakita). Os efeitos quantitativos do amido modificado como ligante sobre as propriedades mecânicas e de liberação de fosfato de cloroquina foram analisados por meio de um planejamento fatorial completo 2 3 . Tomaram-se a natureza (X 1 ), a concentração de amido (X 2 ) e a fração de empacotamento (X 3 ) como variáveis independentes e relação força de compressão-friabilidade (RFCE), tempo de desintegração (DT) e tempo de dissolução (t 80 ), como variáveis dependentes. O amido de inhame chinês modificado mostrou redução marcante (p<0,05) no teor de amilose e da viscosidade, mas aumento no inchamento e nas propriedades de ligação de água. O amido modificado teve início rápido e maior quantidade de fluxo plástico. A alteração do aglomerante da forma nativa para a modificada com ácido conduziu a aumento significativo (p <0,05) em CSFR e DT, mas diminuição da t 80 . O aumento da concentração do aglutinante e da fração de empacotamento deu origem a resultados semelhantes apenas para RFCE e DT. Os resultados sugerem que os amidos modificados com ácido do inhame chinês podem ser mais úteis como aglutinantes de comprimidos, quando se necessitam de força de ligação alta e de dissolução rápida..

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