Quality of Metformin Tablet Products in the Kenyan Market

Abstract

The quality of 14 metformin hydrochloride tablet products locally available in the Kenyan market is reported. The samples composed both 500 mg and 850 mg strengths. The compendial tests performed included uniformity of weight, disintegration, friability, hardness, assay and dissolution. Assay and dissolution were determined by ultra-violet spectrophotometry. All the samples had a deviation of less than ± 5% from the mean average weight in the uniformity of weight test, disintegrated within 5-17 minutes and had a friability of less than 1%. They yielded satisfactory hardness and acceptable dissolution within 45 minutes. However, two samples failed to meet the British Pharmacopoeia specifications for assay.