COMPARATIVE EVALUATION OF THE EMULSIFYING PROPERTIES OF THE LEAVES OF CORCHORUS OLITORIUS L. AND SESAMUM RADIATUM L. MUCILAGES

Abstract

Abstract 
This study presents a comparative evaluation of the emulsifying properties of mucilage extracted from Corchorus olitorius L. (COM) and Sesamum radiatum L.  (SRM) as sustainable, natural alternatives to the standard pharmaceutical emulsifier, acacia gum (SAG). The research was driven by the need to identify locally available, cost-effective, and biocompatible excipients to replace imported and synthetic agents. Mucilages were successfully extracted from the leaves of both plants using an aqueous extraction and acetone precipitation method, yielding 10% for COM and 9.5% for SRM. Physicochemical characterization revealed that both mucilages possess favourable properties for pharmaceutical use. COM and SRM exhibited superior swelling capacities (78.34% and 78.11%, respectively) compared to acacia gum (15.76%), and excellent powder flow properties. Oil-in-water (O/W) emulsions were formulated using castor oil and evaluated for stability. Emulsions stabilized with COM demonstrated exceptional long-term kinetic stability, with a creaming index of only 45% after 504 hours, significantly lower than SRM (72%) and the acacia gum standard (75%). Furthermore, COM-stabilized emulsions exhibited desirable shear-thinning behaviour and higher viscosity at optimal concentrations. The findings 
conclusively position Corchorus olitorius mucilage as a highly effective, stable, and viable natural emulsifier, outperforming both Sesamum radiatum L.  mucilage and the standard acacia gum in key parameters. This research validates the potential of utilizing indigenous plant resources to develop sustainable pharmaceutical formulations, offering a practical solution to reduce dependency on imported excipients, lower production costs, and enhance formulation biocompatibility, particularly in resource-limited settings.