Flow and consolidation properties of neem gum coprocessed with two pharmaceutical excipients

Neem gum (NMG) was coprocessed with either rice starch (STC) or lactose (LTC) at different proportions to produce different novel excipients. The native and novel excipients were assessed using shape and size factors (aspect ratio, roundness, irregularity, equivalent circle diameter (ECD)), bulk density, angle of repose (AR), angle of internal friction (AI), flow rate (FR), consolidation index (C) and rate of consolidation (K) as evaluation parameters. The results were dependent on the particle shape, size and the amount of rice starch or lactose present in the coprocessed excipients. The study concluded that coprocessing neem gum with either rice starch or lactose would enhance the consolidation properties and still improve the flow of the novel excipients produced.