Investigating Dioscorea polystachya Starch as a Pharmaceutical Excipient

Background: Dioscorea polystachya (DP) starch, a low-cost, abundant, renewable and degradable starch, is being explored as a potential pharmaceutical excipient for drug formulation. Objectives: This study aimed to explore and isolate starch from Dioscorea polystachya and evaluate the excipients' properties.Materials and Methods: To study the phytochemical, physicochemical, morphological, rheological and emulsifying properties.Results: The isolated matter yields 40.5% starch from its dry weight of tubers and contains carbohydrates, moisture, lipids, nitrogen and various minerals. DP starch has 22.58±0.22% amylose and exhibits a non-Newtonian flow behaviour. The emulsifying capacity improved with the increasing starch concentration and provided significant emulsion stability through different oil ratios to polysaccharide solution. It showed an excellent foaming ability; however, foam stability gradually reduced over time .Conclusion: These findings indicate that Dioscorea polystachya starch provides significant excipient properties so that it could be used as an excipient in the pharmaceutical industry.