A comparative study has been carried out to investigate the binder effects of the gums of Cissus populnea and Accasia senegal on the mechanical properties of paracetamol tablets. Tablet mechanical properties evaluated include the packing fraction (P f), the tensile strength (T) and the brittle fracture tendency (BFI). Varying concentrations of the gum mucilage ranging from 1-15% (w/v) was prepared and their relative viscosities determined. Each concentration was used to wet massed paracetamol powder to form granules. Tablets of paracetamol (500 ± 6.5 mg) were compressed at a constant compression load (7 arbitruary units on the scale). The tablets were equilibrated for 24 h before evaluation. At all binder concentrations A. senegal gum produced harder and more consolidated tablets than C. populnea as reflected by the higher T and P f values respectively. For instance, the T and P f values of the tablets at binder concentration of 10% (w/v) were 0.69 MNm-2 and 0.47 (A. senegal) and 0.57 MNm-2 and 0.23 (C. populnea), respectively. On the contrary, an increase in binder concentration generally resulted in a decrease in BFI values and this decrease was more marked with C. populnea. The study showed that A. senegal mucilage displayed better tableting characteristics and higher tendency for ameliorating capping tendency. Both mucilages have the potentials for substitution as binder for the more expensive starches in tablet formulation.

Properties of red blood cells, especially cell size and red cell indices related to size, change with time in stored blood samples. Laboratory anticoagulants have certain drawbacks. For example, heparin has no preservative property on whole blood while K 3 EDTA (EDTA) is toxic and damages platelets. The search for novel anticoagulants with better hematological profile is therefore necessary. The anticoagulant properties of aqueous leaf extract of Euphorbia heterophylla (aka ito in Igbo) were compared with those of K 3 EDTA. Specifically, the effect of this extract and K 3 EDTA on packed cell volume (PCV) and red cell indices related to size, when they were used as anticoagulants, were compared. 0.5 ml of serial dilutions of this extract were placed in specimen bottles containing 2 ml fresh human whole blood and stored for 15 days at 4°C. For control, 2 ml fresh human whole blood was added to specimen bottles containing 1.5 mg/ml EDTA and stored for 15 days at 4°C. Thereafter, the test and control samples were analyzed for PCV, MCV, MCH and MCHC using haematology autoanalyser (Erma Inc, PCE-210). All concentrations of the extract used, except 65 mg/ml, and the K 3 EDTA were able to keep the blood samples in fluid state throughout the 15 days period of storage. At the level of significance, p < 0.05, this extract had comparable preservative effect on MCV and MCH (p = 0.79; 0.20), but less preservative effect on PCV and MCHC when compared with EDTA (p = 0.013; 0.049). The aqueous leaf extract of Euphorbia heterophylla has preservative properties on haematological indices of stored human whole blood compare to that of K 3 EDTA. The fact that it does not chelate calcium as its mechanism of anticoagulation gives it an advantage over K 3 EDTA when used for biochemical tests. It should therefore, be explored as alternative laboratory anticoagulant in view of this advantage.