Joseph Benedict Arenas, Joseph Jeffrey Garcia, Ruzzel Ragas (March 2011)
Philippine Science High School Western Visayas Campus – Department of Science and Technology (DOST-PSHS WVC), Brgy. Bito-on, Jaro, Iloilo City 5000, Philippines
ABSTRACT
Diluents or fillers are additives that create in bulk thus, making a material larger without affecting its nutritional value. They increase the volume of materials by filling the empty spaces. Diluents or fillers are commonly used in making medicinal dosage forms have bigger bulk. Diluents can help the dosage forms break apart once it is in the digestive system. Common diluents are lactose, microcrystalline cellulose, starch, powdered sucrose and calcium phosphate.
This study aimed to measure the calcium carbonate content and the physical properties of milkfish’s and mangrove jack’s bones to be used as diluents in terms of particle size, particle shape, powder flow, moisture content, bulk density and tapped density. It also aimed to compare the physical properties of milkfish’s and mangrove jack’s bones as diluents with the pharmaceutical standard. Using physical analysis of diluent properties and calcium carbonate assay we determined that the calcium carbonate content of the mangrove jack bone samples and milkfish bone samples are 45.12% and 41.78% respectively and its physical properties did not pass the diluent standards and is not a recommendable diluent.
Keywords: diluent, milkfish, mangrove jack, filler