DEVELOPMENT AND CHARACTERIZATION OF ORO-DISPERSIBLE TABLETS OF METFORMIN HYDROCHLORIDE USING CAJANUS CAJAN STARCH AS A NATURAL SUPERDISINTEGRANT

Objective: The aim of the research work was to explore the use of Cajanus cajan (Pigeon pea) polysaccharide as a superdisintegrant. The novel superdisintegrant has been evaluated for its action by incorporating it into orodispersible tablets of Metformin Hydrochloride. Methods: Cajanus cajan starch was extracted from its seeds and superdisintegrant was developed by microwave modification of the extract. Various characterization tests such as gelatinization temperature, water absorption index, pH, and viscosity were used to identify the microwave-modified polysaccharide. The orodispersible tablets were made using a direct compression process employing varying concentrations of modified Cajanus cajan starch. Prepared tablets were tested for several pre and post-compression parameters and compared with a well-established synthetic superdisintegrant, sodium starch glycolate. The stability studies were conducted on an optimized formulation. Results: Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy study showed that the drug had no interactions with the microwave-modified Cajanus cajan starch. SEM confirmed that Cajanus cajan starch granules exhibited intact granular structure in oval shapes and smooth surfaces. After microwave modification, the Cajanus cajan starch component lost its granular structure, which further led to the generation of surface pores and internal channels, causing overall swelling responsible for superdisintegrant activity. The optimized formulation (ODF5) containing 15 % modified Cajanus cajan starch performed better in terms of wetting time (22.21 s), disintegration time (53.3 s), and in vitro drug release (92%), as compared to formulation prepared by synthetic superdisintegrant (ODF1). Conclusion: The present investigation concluded that modified Cajanus cajan starch has good potential as a superdisintegrant for formulating oro-dispersible tablets. Furthermore, modified Cajanus cajan starch is inexpensive, non-toxic and compatible in comparison with available synthetic superdisintegrants.

Drivers of Pigeon Pea Consumption Among School-Aged Children in Central Tanzania

Background: Protein energy malnutrition (PEM) and iron deficiencies (ID) are of major public health concern in Tanzania including among school-aged children. PEM and ID in early childhood have serious, long-term consequences because they impede motor, sensory, social and emotional development, growth retardation, poor cognitive development, learning disability of children, lowered resistance to infectious diseases, and reduced physical work capacity. The objective of this study was to elucidate the drivers of pigeon pea consumption among school-aged children in Dodoma district, Central Tanzania. Understanding these drivers would be useful in promoting pigeon pea consumption among school-aged children as one of the strategies to increase dietary protein and iron intake.Methods: This study was a cross-sectional study in which data were collected using a questionnaire based on a combination of the Theory of Planned Behavior and Health Belief Model. The data were collected from caregivers (n = 138) in four villages in Kongwa district, Dodoma region, Central Tanzania. We used correlations and multiple regressions to assess associations between constructs and identify predictive constructs. Mann–Whitney U tests were used for score comparisons with a significant p-value set at <0.10.Results: Health value was significantly correlated with health behavior identity (rs = 0.63, p < 0.001) and also significantly predicted health behavior identity (rs = 0.49, p = 0.001). The constructs cues to action and control belief were significantly associated with intention (β = −0.41, p = 0.059 and β = 0.06, p = 0.019 respectively). Finally, we observed that intention was a significant predictor of behavior (β = 1.38, p = 0.001). We also observed a significant negative interaction between perceived barriers and intention to consume pigeon pea (β = −0.04, p = 0.006), indicating that perceived barriers limit intention to consume pigeon pea.Conclusion and Implication: Our findings indicate that when the caregiver places increased importance on preventing her school-aged child from being iron or protein deficient or indeed anemic (health value), it results in a positive evaluation of the effectiveness of giving pigeon pea to address these nutrient deficiencies. Programs and efforts aimed at promoting pigeon pea consumption should focus on educating caregivers on iron and protein deficiency and the role that pigeon pea could play in addressing these. However, perceived barriers such as pest infestation during storage need to be addressed to increase pigeon pea consumption. The involvement of post-harvest management specialists is therefore crucial. Along with this, increasing productivity and crop management is also crucial to ensure year-round affordable supply of pigeon pea.

Factors related to productivity and persistence of lucerne (Medicago sativa) genotypes with different fall dormancy levels: a review

The lucerne productive and nutritional potential make it the most used forage legume worldwide. This wide use leads genetic improvement programs to increasingly select the main requirements for a given edaphoclimatic condition. However, in Brazil, the research on genetic improvement of lucerne has been limited over the years, which has hindered the production of this species and the domination of other legumes in animal production, as estilosantes and pigeon pea. This literature review aimed to present results from countries such as New Zealand and Australia that lead the world ranking, as weel as Argentina, in the cultivation of this crop and that can be used as showcase to understand the management of lucerne. From extensive bibliometry analyses in the period between 1963 and 2021, variables as persistence and phyllochron in these countries indicate that it is possible to produce lucerne with similar productivity, longevity and quality in Brazil. Nevertheless, to leverage this production, not only genetic improvement should be aimed, but also research and dissemination of knowledge on the ideal management of defoliation and, mainly, on the choice of the genotype and dormancy level to be cropped by the producer.

Pulses Value Chain- Pigeon Pea and Gram

Pulses form an important part of agriculture in India given that the country is the largest producer, consumer and importer of pulses. Owing to their natural resilience to extreme weather conditions, low water requirements and being environmentally benign, pulses have been traditionally a smallholder’s crop. However, with poor price realization, farmers are switching towards other remunerative crops such as sugarcane, soybean, among others. Unlike rice and wheat, pulses are not covered by the regular public procurement system which makes marketing of pulses at fair and remunerative prices a challenge for the farmers. Pulses are no longer a poor man’s diet given the escalating consumer prices. Nonetheless, it is considered as an important source of protein (given the large vegetarian diet base in India), consumption of which is being promoted to address the observed protein gap in the diets. Over time, per capita availability of pulses has declined like other traditional cereals. With changing consumption patterns and emerging dietary deficiencies, there is scope for enhancing consumption of pulses through traditional and value-added products.

Performance of Pigeon Pea (Cajanus cajan) Varieties under Different Soil Amendments in Ndokwa, Delta State, Nigeria

Background: Pigeon pea is an important legume worldwide that is not cultivated by the farmers in Ndokwa, Delta State. Hence, the study looked at the possibility of evaluating the potential of pigeon pea in Ogume, a community in Ndokwa. Methods: Top soils were collected from a fallowed land mixed thoroughly and filled into 4 kg bags and were divided into 3. The 1st was amended with poultry manure, 2nd was NPK 15:15:15 amended and 3rd was without amendment, tested with two varieties of Cajanus cajan. The experiment was a 2 by 3 factorial, in a completely randomized design with 3 replicates. Residual effects of the amendments were evaluated in 2020. Soil samples were taken to establish the fertility status before amendment and at harvest. Data were taken on the agronomic and yield parameters and were analyzed using ANOVA while means were separated using LSD at P≤0.05. Result: Result obtained showed that the tallest plants (9.83±0.51) were observed in the poultry manure in 2019 while the fallowed plots had the tallest plants (11.17±0.49) in 2020, while in both years, the number of pods and dry pod weight was insignificant among the treatments and varieties. This shows that farmers do not need to spend much finance in amending the soil for pigeon pea cultivation in Ndokwa community, Delta State.

Upland rice intercropped with green manures and its impact on the succession with common bean

The aim of this work was to verify the possibility of intercropping rice with green manures, as well as the impact of the dry biomass yield of these intercropping systems on common bean in succession, evaluating the agronomic and qualitative performance of grains from both crops. The experiment was conducted in Southeastern Brazil in the years 2018 and 2019, with succession of rice (spring/summer) and common bean (autumn/winter). The treatments were composed of cropping systems with rice as a sole crop and intercropped with forage peanut, calopo, Crotalaria breviflora, Crotalaria spectabilis, stylo, jack bean and dwarf pigeon pea. No intercropping increased the system's yield compared to sole-crop rice, but intercropping of rice with forage peanut and stylo promoted grain yield and quality similar to those of sole-crop rice. Intercropping with C. breviflora affected the agronomic and qualitative performance of rice. Common bean yield after rice intercropped with dwarf pigeon pea, C. spectabilis and C. breviflora was similar in yield after sole-crop rice, while the other intercrops reduced common bean yield. Common bean grain quality was not affected by the cultivation of rice as sole crop and intercropped with green manures. Although none of the intercropping systems increased yield compared to sole-crop rice (control), it can be concluded that the intercropping of upland rice is viable depending on the green manure species, allowing greater biomass production per area that can help long-term soil conservation and increase the system's yield.