Herbal binders are substances of natural origin added to a tablet or granule formulation to hold the particles together (create “binding”) so that the dosage form maintains structural integrity.
Significance
Mechanical Strength: Binders ensure tablets do not crumble under handling or during packaging.
Release Profile: The choice of binder affects how quickly or slowly the drug is released.
Clean Label Appeal: Natural binders can replace synthetic binders, appealing to consumers seeking “clean” or “green” formulations.
Examples & Uses
Acacia gum (Gum arabic): Excellent binding and emulsifying properties.
Tragacanth gum: Effective tablet binder and thickener.
Starch (potato, corn, rice): Widely used binder for tablet manufacturing.
Guar Gum – A polysaccharide gum with good binding capacity, commonly used in the food industry and translatable to pharmaceutical formulations.
