4‐in‐1 Multipurpose Excipient from Musa acuminata Fruit by Alkaline‐Steeping/Retrogradation (ASR) in Acetaminophen Tablet Formulation

The conventional approach in the tablet formulation of acetaminophen (ACM) suggests the use of five or more different excipients in a wet granulation tableting process. The use of many excipients in tablet formulation may negatively create excipient–excipient interactions, excipient–drug interactions, exaggerated product side effects, and high drug load. Cutting‐edge technology would be the use of one excipient with a quadrupled functional purpose (4‐in‐1) by direct compression tableting. In this study, a novel two‐phase process called “alkaline‐steeping/retrogradation” (ASR) is employed to obtain the desired starch polymer excipient of quadrupled functional purpose. In phase I, the biopolymer is extracted from the unripe fruits of Musa acuminata by a modified alkaline solution steeping method, while in phase II, 50% w/w of the extracted polymer is retrograded. The retrograded product is re‐mixed with the non‐retrograded 50% w/w that is left from phase I. This gives a novel 50–50% w/w blend named Musa acuminata advanced starch polymer (MAP). To authenticate the efficiency of the ASR, the physicomechanical, analytical, and drug release properties of different concentrations of MAP/ACM solid systems are characterized to ascertain the compatibility. The ASR method produces a unique semi‐hygroscopic biopolymer excipient of quadruple‐function in ACM high‐dose tablet formulation by direct compression.