Formulation, Standardization, and Characterization of a Novel Herbal Medicine Tablet Containing Rosehip Extract

Abstract

The fruit of Rosa canina L., commonly known as rosehip, has a long history of use in treating various disorders such as osteoarthritis and cardiovascular diseases. However, like many other herbal extracts, rosehip dried extract presents challenges due to its hygroscopic and sticky properties. This poses difficulties in developing solid pharmaceutical dosage forms utilizing rosehip extract. Hence, the objective of this study was to formulate and standardize a tablet containing rosehip extract. To achieve this goal, a novel wet granulation method was employed in this study to develop a tablet formulation of rosehip extract. This method utilized rosehip concentrated extract as a granulation liquid, and double granulation was employed to optimize the content of the extract. Various formulations were systematically evaluated to determine the optimal composition and ratio of excipients. Subsequently, the final formulations underwent rigorous assessment of their physicochemical properties and stability. Rosehip extract and its tablets were standardized based on ascorbic acid and total polyphenol content, using HPLC and Folin-Ciocalteu methods accordingly. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to report the double-wet-granulation method in a tablet formulation design along with an examination of its impact on the total polyphenol content of the extract. The key advantage of employing this method lies in its capability to incorporate liquid extract into a solid formulation, thereby facilitating the accommodation of escalating dosages of extract in each tablet. However, it is important to note that this method does come with certain limitations. Primarily, the extended formulation process necessitates prolonged exposure of active ingredients to heat and oxygen, which may potentially affect their stability and efficacy.