This study aims to evaluate the quality of brands of prednisolone tablets marketed in Nigeria. Quality control parameters such as weight variation, hardness, friability, disintegration, assay, and dissolution were assessed. Ten of 11 brands tested met the United States Pharmacopeia (USP) specifications for dissolution of immediate-release dosage forms at stage S1 or S2, but one brand failed to meet the requirement even at stage S3. Using a validated method, all brands except one contained the labelled drug amount per USP specifications (100 ± 10%). Seven brands failed the hardness test, but there were no issues with other parameters like friability, weight variation, and disintegration. This study demonstrates that most generics of prednisolone tablets currently circulating in Abuja, Nigeria are of good quality.

Senna podocarpa (SP) leaves are used in folk medicines for treatment of burns and wounds as poultices on wound surface. However, to the best of our knowledge, the wound healing ability of this plant has not been scientifically evaluated. This work aimed to determine the wound healing potential of the crude extract of SP leaves, and to evaluate the benefit of its preparation as an emulgel. In this study, the formulations of 2.5% of SP emulgel (F1) and 7.5% of SP emulgel (F2) were prepared by mixing the emulsion phase with the gel phase in a ratio of 1:1, and then physical appearance, globule size, pH, viscosity, swelling, water activity, extrudability, occlusion, spreadability, stability, and wound healing ability were determined. Phytochemical screening showed the presence of alkaloids, saponins, tannins, cardiac glycosides, flavonoids, anthraquinones, and phenols within the hydro-ethanolic extract of SP leaves, and high flavonoid content is believed to be responsible for its healing attributes. Our formulations showed acceptable physical properties. Hematoxylin-eosin and Verhoeff–Van Gieson stain showed that F2 could induce the accumulation of fibroblasts, fibrocytes, inflammatory cells, gland cells, epidermal cells, adipocytes, and collagen in the process of wound healing in mice injured with hydrochloric acid. Encouragingly, the percent of wound contractions in mice treated with F1, F2, and SP leaf poultice were 64, 87, and 50, respectively, suggesting the superior healing properties exhibited by SP emulgel over SP leaf poultice, and this may due to the occlusive property of emulgels. In conclusion, F2 of crude extract of SP leaves has better pharmacological effects on burn and wound healing, and may represent a preferred choice to treat burn wounds in the future.

The efficacy of plants in treatment of various diseases has led to the development of presentable and accepatble herbal formulations. This study evaluated the suitability of different binders in the formulation of dried aqueous leaf extract of Telfairia occidentalis (TOLE) tablets. Granules were prepared by wet granulation using polyvinyl pyrollidone (PVP), corn starch (CS) and gelatin (GEL) at 5 %w/v and then compressed into tablets. Flow properties of granules; angle of repose, Hausner ratio and Carr's index were determined, mechanical properties of tablets; hardness, friability and disintegration time were evaluated and anti-anaemic assessment of the optimized tablet was carried out using standard methods. Results show that TOLE and the granule formulations possessed good flow properties. Tablet hardness was 5.22, 5.18, 4.40 kgF for GEL>CS>PVP respectively; friability values were 0.00, 0.20 and 0.34 % respectively. Tablets disintegrated between 28 and > 60 min; only those prepared with PVP disintegrated within official specified time. Optimized tablet was comparable with TOLE in improving haematological indices of mice. All the binders produced robust tablets but PVP is considered the most suitable, in vivo study revealed TOLE retained its activity in the formulated tablet suggesting the formulation can be used as an oral anti-anaemic supplement.