Evaluation of Modified Date Palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) Mucilage as a Potential Pharmaceutical Excipient

Abstract

Investigation on natural sources from plants, animals, and microorganisms that produce gums and mucilages goes on increasing day by day to check their pharmaceutical applications. Different mucilages have been studied for their pharmaceutical effects but the use of date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) mucilage as a pharmaceutical excipient is still under the cover. The aim of this study was therefore to evaluate and compare the flow property and binding ability of crude, purified, modified (hydrolyzed and grafted), green synthesized nanoparticles (Zinc oxide (ZnO), cuperic oxide (CuO), silver (Ag), and gold (Au)) of date palm mucilage with hydroxy propyl methyl cellulose (HPMC) and commercially available paracetamol tablets. Previously purified mucilage (with 58.4% yield) was subjected to modification (i.e., acidic, basic, and enzymatic), grafting (polyacrylamide), and green synthesis of nanoparticles. Flow properties of powdered (granular) crude, purified, modified, and nanoparticles were studied and compared with flow properties of HPMC and paracetamol tablet granules. Tablets were made using granules of all types of date palm mucilage (discussed above), HPMC, and granules of paracetamol tablets to study and compare weight uniformity, hardness, friability, dissolution rate, and disintegration time. When 100 mg/kg of mucilage sample was given to mice no oral toxicity was found. The results obtained during this study were within the acceptable ranges given in pharmacopeias. The pseudoplastic flow behavior, hygroscopic nature, increased solubility, and swelling index across the increase in temperature, hardness of the tablets, friability, and drug release behavior were found better than HPMC and the binders used in commercially available paracetamol, hence making the date palm mucilage (crude, purified, and modified) an excellent excipient to be used in pharmaceutical dosage forms.

Antioxidant and Anticancer Assessment and Phytochemical Investigation of Three Varieties of Date Fruits

“…Phoenix dactylifera L. includes phenolic acids, carotene, polyphenols, anthocyanins, and tannins, among other phytochemicals. Another investigation on the phenolic content of Ajwa dates reported the existence of three significant phenols in pharmacology: catechin, caffeic acid, and rutin [ 84 , 85 , 86 , 87 ]. Therefore, the anticancer activities reported might be attributed to the incidence of flavonoids and phenolics in dates, which are high in phenolic compounds [ 14 ].…”

Current Techniques of Water Solubility Improvement for Antioxidant Compounds and Their Correlation with Its Activity: Molecular Pharmaceutics

“…The three phenolic acids 3,4-dihydroxy benzoic, ferulic, and p-coumaric acids were the most prevalent phenolic chemicals found in the DSNPs. In addition to documenting the ideal UAE conditions for maximizing the extraction of polyphenolic components from DSNPs and boosting their antioxidant properties to be employed in food applications, an effective technique for synthesizing DSNPs was also established [126].…”

Safety study of carboxymethylated Basella alba mucilage: a subchronic oral toxicity evaluation in Wistar albino rats

“…Sumaira et al (2021) grafted quince seed mucilage with acrylamide and studied its acute toxicity in mice; the mucilage-based network was found safe orally [9]. Pasha et al (2021) extracted and modified date palm mucilage to prepare nanoparticles, checked its acute oral toxicity in mice and found it safe [10]. Therefore, numerous toxicity assessments of functionalized polymers have been reported in the literature.…”