Stability analysis of primary emulsion using a new emulsifying agent gum odina

Gum odina and various parts of the plant Odina wodier are traditionally used in Indian folk medicine. Here an effort was made to investigate the efficacy of gum odina as new pharmaceutical excipients, in particular, as an emulsifying agent. Primary emulsion was prepared using wet gum method taking oil: water: gum (4:2:1) with gum acacia powder as an emulsifying agent. This was used as a standard control formulation. In case of experimental emulsions the primary emulsion was prepared by same wet gum technique taking oil: water: gum (4:2:0.5) (gum content was just a half of gum acacia) by using gum odina powder as an emulsifier. The gum odina as emulsifying agent provided a stable emulsion at a very low concentration as compared to the amount required for other conventional natural emulsifying agents. Stability studies of the emulsion were made as per the ICH guideline to study thermal stability, photosensitivity, pH related stability and stability in presence of oxygen. The emulsion type was identified by staining techniques (dye test by using Sudan III) as o/w type preparation without creaming or cracking even after long storage for 24 months at 25°C. It was found that the emulsion containing gum odina produced more stable emulsion at a much lower amount as compared to the emulsion stabilized by gum acacia.