Evaluation of the dissolution behaviour of some commercial herbal drugs and their preparations

Dissolution rates are routinely performed with synthetic drugs, however, in the field of herbal drugs (HD), their preparations (HDP) and herbal medici nal products (HMP) this crucial property is generally not investigated. Acc ording to the European Pharmacopoeia, we have evaluated the dissolution beh aviour of capsules containing various herbal drugs (Passira, Senna, Ginkgo) and some of their commercial dried extracts, manufactured with different m ethods, by analysis of their active components or marker constituents. Adeq uate dissolution behaviours of the flavonoids of Ginkgo were obtained for a ll preparations, while for both Passiflora and Senna only the extracts show ed complete dissolution of the marker flavones and sennosides, respectively , in the investigated media.