HIGH-SURFACE-AREA STARCH PRODUCTS AS FILLER-BINDER IN DIRECT COMPRESSION TABLETS

Amylodextrin and modified starch products were prepared from amylose-f ree starches and from (amylose containing) potato starch by enzymatic degradation, followed by precipitation and filtration. The intermediat e retrograded starch products were dehydrated by drying at room temper ature or washing with ethanol. Chemical dehydration resulted for both the amylodextrin and the modified starch products in a high specific s urface area and a high compactibility, whereas thermal dehydration pro duced particulate solids with low surface area and poor binding proper ties. The compactibility of the powders appeared to depend on their su rface area as determined by nitrogen adsorption, and on their moisture content. High surface area modified starch products appeared to be su itable candidates for application as filler-binder in tablet formulati ons for direct compression as demonstrated in a comparative study with Avicel PH101(R).