Bio-based Polymer Isolated from Seeds of Buchanania lanzan Spreng with Potential Use as Pharmaceutical Mucoadhesive Excipient

This study was aimed to develop an oral bio-based mucoadhesive polymer from seeds mucilage of Buchanania lanzan spreng, belongs to family anacardiaceae. Isolated mucilage was evaluated for mucoadhesive strength and compared with existing polymer. The mucilage showed shear stress results (0.099 ± 0.0001N), with comparable adhesiveness to methocel E5 (0.098 ± 0.0008N). Force of adhesion required to detach the seed mucilage and methocel E5 tablets from the mucin of intestinal tissue were 0.0276 ± 0.0019 (N) and 0.0049 ± 0.0006 (N), respectively. Seed mucilage revealed significant (P<0.01) higher detachment time, erosion time, in-vitro wash-off time and ex-vivo residence compared to methocel E5 and lactose tablets. In vivo test indicated that seed mucilage tablets possessed good mucoadhesive strength compared to methocel E5 and resisted disintegration for ≤ 8 h. The swelling index and wetting time showed comparable results between the mucilage and synthetic polymer tablets. Mucilage demonstrated high moisture absorption, percentage hydration, and matrix erosion of 18.57 ± 0.036, 50.00 ± 0.051, and 8.30 ± 0.155 compared to methocel E5 10.0 ± 0.079, 36.00 ± 0.089, and 1.26 ± 0.085, respectively. Mucoadhesive properties of seeds mucilage were comparable to guar gum and methocel E5, thus seed mucilage of B. lanzan can be potentially exploited for usage as a bioadhesive pharmaceutical excipient.