4. Conclusions
Okra pectins were extracted at pH 6.0 and their functionality in
pharmaceutical and food formulations was evaluated. Okra extract
can be successfully employed to create modified release formulations.
The solubility of incorporated drugs and drying techniques
applied to okra extracts have a significant impact on swelling and
dissolution performance of these hydrophilic matrix tablets. The
presence of okra pectins influenced the degree of swelling and drug
release kinetics with the oven-dried extracts slowing the release of
both tested drugs. Okra extracts also showed potential as emulsifiers
in acidic environments producing fine emulsions with good
stability against coarsening. Such a property could be exploited in
delivering emulsified hydrophobic drugs or nutrients through the acidic environment of stomach. Overall, the physicochemical attributes
of pectins extracted from okra seem to be promising for
uses in drug or nutrient encapsulation and delivery. From a wider
perspective this study has provided an excellent example of how
the interdisciplinary nature of hydrocolloid research can be applied
to pharmaceutics and food science.