MORINGA OLEIFERA EFFERVESCENT TABLET PRODUCTION AND CHARACTERIZATION

Moringa Oleifera is a plant that has been recommended as a functional food or dietary supplement due to its excellent levels of proteins, vitamins, minerals, and carotenoids. Various moringa-derived products are available in the market, but consumption in the form of capsules facilitates intake and ensures a dosage more suitable for the consumer's weight and metabolic activity. Given its high nutritional content, this study aimed to develop an effervescent tablet using moringa leaf powder. To obtain this powder, moringa leaves were subjected to the drying process until a constant weight was reached, and subsequently, they were crushed to achieve the ideal particle size. For the effervescence formulation, citric acid, tartaric acid, and sodium bicarbonate were added to the powder. The tablets were produced using a manual press and had an average size, thickness, and weight of 2.4 cm, 1.07 cm, and 2.045 g, respectively. Additionally, they exhibited an average hardness of 0.007 kgf and an average effervescence time of 1 minute and 30 seconds. Despite falling below the standards of the Brazilian pharmacopoeia regarding hardness, which requires a minimum of 3.0 kgf, the tablets displayed a mass uniformity variation of ±1.5%, within the established 5% limit, and the effervescence time also fell within the pharmacopoeia's guidelines. Therefore, based on the obtained results, it is concluded that the moringa effervescent tablet is in accordance with its formulation, enabling an expansion of its consumption.