Effects of Beverage Solvents on Disintegration Time and Dissolution Rate of Metronidazole Tablets

Abstract

Drug Disintegration time refers to the period within which a mechanical break-up of compressed tablet dissolve upon exposure to physiological fluids within a short period of time into tiny granules upon ingestion, while drug dissolution rate becomes a key tool in understanding the importance for its bioavailability and therapeutic effectiveness. Hence, the objective of this paper was to assess the impact of seven different solvents, which includes five non-alcoholic beverages (Exotic juice, soft drink, coffee, milk, and milo), one alcoholic beverage (beer), one dilute acid (0.1 M HCl) and a control distilled water (dil. H₂O) on the disintegration time and dissolution rate of metronidazole tablets. The distilled water was used as control. The results obtained show that the mean disintegration times were 2.28 ± 0.04 (0.1 N HCl), 4.21 ± 0.12 (beer), 3.24 ± 0.05 (coffee), 3.23 ± 0.07 (distilled water), 5.21 ± 0.09 (Exotic juice), 3.17 ± 0.06 (Fanta), and 16.16 ± 0.11 (milk). The mean dissolution rates on the other hand were 98.87 ± 0.12, 78.09 ± 0.09, 84.27 ± 0.11, 86.52 ± 0.40, 67.98 ± 0.09, 92.70 ± 0.50, and 44.94 ± 0.22 respectively. Metronidazole tablets disintegrated and dissolved more in 0.1 N HCL than in other mediums and less in milk. From this study, although the disintegration time and dissolution rate of metronidazole were not greatly affected by the different beverages except for Exotic juice, and the mixture of milk and Milo, care should be taken when replacing water with any beverage in ingesting tablets.