EFFECT OF ARTEMESIA ANNUA ON IN-VITRO DISSOLUTION OF VARIOUS BRANDS OF METFORMIN TABLETS

Abstract

Background: Metformin is the world's most commonly used antidiabetic drug for type 2
diabetes and this is major because it protects against diabetes-related mortality. Concurrent
administration of metformin with herbal medicines causes interaction, which may lead to
undesirable pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic effects.
Aim: This study aimed to determine the effect of the methanol extract of Artemisia annua on
the in-vitro dissolution of various brands of metformin tablets.
Method: Five brands of metformin (500 mg) tablets were randomly purchased from different
Pharmacies within the Kaduna metropolis. The in-vitro dissolution of different metformin
tablet brands with methanol extract of Artemisia annua was carried out according to the BP
2009, using the dissolution apparatus type II (paddle apparatus) at the rate of 100 rpm at 37 ±
0.5⁰C, using the medium 900ml of a 0.68% w/v solution of potassium dihydrogen
orthophosphate and the pH was adjusted to 6.8 by the addition of 1M sodium hydroxide while
rotating the basket at 100 revolutions per minute.
Results: All the brands of metformin tablets complied with official specifications for hardness,
friability, disintegration, and assay.
Conclusion: Therefore, based on invitro dissolution studies, the brands might be substituted
with the innovator product in clinical practice. The results revealed that Artemisia annua lowers
metformin's dissolution profile and subsequently its bioavailability.