UTILIZATION OF CORN COB HEMICELLULOSE IN SWELLING TABLET FORMULATIONS AS A NOVEL APPROACH OF DIETARY THERAPY

Abstract

Weight loss through dietary modification and exercise is often difficult to sustain, while anti-obesity medications may be limited by adverse effects. Therefore, a safe and effective alternative is needed. Natural dietary fiber is a promising approach because it can suppress appetite and increase satiety. Hemicellulose derived from agricultural waste, particularly corn cobs, offers a sustainable raw material for developing swelling tablets. The incorporation of crosslinking agents, such as citric acid, polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), and sodium trimetaphosphate (STMP), is expected to improve tablet characteristics, swelling capacity, and water absorption.

This study aims to develop a swelling tablet formulation based on hemicellulose extracted from corn cob waste. Chemical modification of hemicellulose is intended to enhance its ability to form a gastrointestinal-resistant gel and increase water absorption capacity. This approach is expected to support weight management while improving the utilization of agricultural waste. The research also supports the National Medium-Term Development Plan (RPJMN), particularly Asta Cita 4 on strengthening human resources and public health through science-based interventions, and Asta Cita 5 on sustainable development and the green economy through agricultural waste utilization.

An experimental approach was employed to formulate and characterize hemicellulose-based swelling tablets. The research stages included: (1) raw material preparation; (2) hemicellulose extraction; (3) characterization of extracted hemicellulose; (4) swelling tablet formulation; (5) evaluation of swelling behavior and water absorption capacity; and (6) data analysis to determine the optimum formulation.