FORMULATION AND ASSESSMENT OF HERBAL CAPSULE USING MEDICINAL PLANT EXTRACTS

The present study aimed to formulate and evaluate a polyherbal capsule using aqueous extracts of Vinca rosea, Curcuma longa, and Dalbergia sissoo. Plant materials were collected, authenticated, dried, and extracted using a traditional aqueous extraction method. Pre-formulation studies were conducted to assess powder flow properties, including bulk density, tapped density, Carr’s index, Hausner’s ratio, and angle of repose. Six formulations (PC1–PC6) were prepared by wet granulation and filled into size “0” hard gelatin capsules using a manual plate method. The capsules were evaluated for organoleptic characteristics, weight variation, disintegration time, moisture content, drug content, in-vitro dissolution, and stability under varying temperature and humidity conditions. Among all formulations, PC1 exhibited superior flow properties, uniform weight, rapid disintegration, and maximum drug release (94.77% at 30 minutes). Stability studies revealed good stability under ambient and moderately elevated temperatures, while degradation occurred at higher temperature and humidity. Overall, the results demonstrate that the developed polyherbal capsule is pharmaceutically acceptable, stable under recommended storage conditions, and holds promise for effective oral herbal therapy.