FORMULATION AND EVALUATION OF PHYTOSOMES LOADED WITH TABERNAEMONTANA DIVARICATA LEAF EXTRACT

Abstract

The objective of the present study was to prepare phytosomal formulation loaded with aqueous extract of Tabernaemontana divaricata fruits. The extraction of leaf powder was done by maceration technique using distilled water with an extraction yield of 7.97 %.  The extract was found to contain alkaloids, and flavonoids and the total phenolic content was found to be 19.4 ± 0.623 %w/w. Phytosomes of the extract were prepared by solvent evaporation method using lecithin as the lipid molecule. The particle size of the phytosomes was from 596 nm to 1365 nm in size. The phytosomes were visible as rigid, almost spherical vesicles in SEM image. The surface of the phytosome vesicles was found to be regular and smooth. The point prediction suggested level 3 (0.3 g) of lipid concentration and level 1 (0.1 g) of extract concentration to present the lowest particle size. Sharp and distinct endothermic peaks in DSC revealed the formulation of stable phytosomes due to molecular interactions between the extract and lecithin. The phytosomes were found to possess good antioxidant action in DPPH assay with reference to the extract suggesting that phytosomal preparation retained the properties of the extract.