Abstract

IN-HOUSE PROCESSING OF NANO CALCIUM TABLETS

*Divya O., Prakash P., Dedeepya D., Uma P. and Sameer P.M.D.

Abstract

The objective of the present study is to design and to develop a tablet formulation of nano calcium obtained from marine molluscan shells like cut ribbed ark shells are rich source of calcium carbonate with an aim to improve the bioavailability of the drug. These shells were washed and crushed into powder. Approximately 100 g of this powder was treated with various reagents like HCl, acetic acid and salts like sodium bi carbonate. Later it was bound with chitosan in different quantities (1 g, 1.25 g and 1.5 g) to extract pure calcium carbonate. Nano calcium was obtained by keeping the dry extract in muffle furnace and burning chitosan at 650ºC for 2 hrs. This is called decomposition technique. The obtained nano calcium was tested for its chemical composition, purity, SEM analysis, zeta potential analysis and in vivo drug release pattern. The results obtained shown that the nano calcium powder particles have the size range of 100-200 nm. Its zeta potential is -30 mV. The purity of nano calcium powder is 99.4%. Nano calcium tablets of five formulations NCT1, NCT2, NCT3, NCT4 and NCT5 were prepared using HPMC and starch by direct compression method. These tablets were evaluated for thickness, weight variation, hardness, friability, disintegration time along with in vivo drug release studies for 15 min, 30 min and 60 min. The tablets were shown good raise in blood calcium levels but were less than the marketed product. Further optimization of the formula is needed to confirm the results.

Keywords: Nano calcium cut ribbed ark shells, chitosan, SEM, zeta potential, in vivo studies, nano calcium tablets, NCT.