Justification of Medicated Chewing Gum Composition for Weight Control and Overweight Fighting

Abstract

Overweight and its consequences are a major public health problem worldwide. This is a problem for Ukraine also, due primarily to the growth in recent years of the patients’ n umber with this pathology. Being overweight creates not only an aesthetic and psychological problem, but also provokes the development of many diseases. As it is known, all medications for weight loss are designed to suppress appetite or to speed up of metabolism. As objects of the study for the drug developed, we have offered dry extract of Hoodia Gordonii and Bromelain. Today, there are many medicines, capable of reducing body weight, but mostly they are dietary supplements in various dosage forms. Special attention deserves a modern oral dosage form – medicated chewing gum (MCG) which is used to treat many diseases and has a number of advantages over other solid dosage forms for use in the oral cavity. The aim of our work is the choice of excipients and development of composition for the drug in the form of medicated chewing gum for weight control and overweight fighting. As objects of research excipients of the following groups were selected: gum base, moisture-absorbing agents, glidants, binders, flavors. MCG obtaining method is pressing. In order to develop the composition of MCG with Hoodia extract and bromelain the physicochemical and pharmacotehnological studies were conducted. Based on the microscopic analysis of the gum base HiG-01 and its mixture with APIs rational method of MCG manufacture has been selected – pressing with previous granulation. According to the results of microscopic analysis and technological properties of the granules obtained by using various humidifiers as an optimal binder – 20% ethanol was selected. Based on the research of moisture-absorbing capacity and technological properties of tablet mass with the addition of various adsorbents as an optimal adsorbent an amorphous silica (silicon dioxide) Syloid® 244FP, allowing the liquid substance easily converted into powders with good flowability and improve the stability of moisture-sensitive APIs, was chosen. It has been established that the development and implementation into production of the drug in the form of medicated chewing gums will expand the range of domestic products for weight control and the fight against overweight.