Glinus lotoides Linne, locally known as "Mettere" is an ailliual herb, the seeds of whichrnare traditionally used as anthelminthic for the prevalent tape worm infection. Therntaenicidal activity has been attributed to the saponins present in the seeds.rnThis study reports on the development of suitable extraction and purification methodsrnof the seeds of the plant; the development of analytical methods for quantification ofrnthe saponins in the crude extracts; the physico-chemical characterisation of the extracts;rnand tablet formulation thereof.rnExtraction and purification methods to obtain "total saponins" of G. lotoides wererndeveloped and the purified extract (i.e., total saponins) was used as a standard forrnquantitative determination. Sensitive colourimetric and UV -spectrophotometricrnmethods were developed and ~-escin, a mixture of triterpenoidic saponins obtainedrnfrom Aesculus hippocastanum, was used as a control standard.rnFor the colourimetric assay method, the official German Pharmacopoeia (DAB) methodrnof determination of ~-escin was adopted with slight modification. In this, saponins werernreacted with ferric chloride in acetic acid: sulphuric acid (1: 1) and the red-colouredrncomplex formed was measured at 540 and 409 nm for ~-escin and saponins of G.rnlotoides respectively. Linear regression of the calibration curves yielded equation Y =rn6.6314X - 0.0279 (r = 0.9983) for ~-escin and Y = 12.669X + 0.0456 (r = 0.9993) forrnsaponins of G. lotoides at concentrations ranging from 0.02 to 0.12 mg/ml and 0.01 torn0.06 mg/ml, respectively.rnXIIIrnPre-derivatization of saponins with 10% acetic acid in 0.1 N HCI rendered them UVactivernand absorption was measured at 238 nm. Linear regression of the calibrationrncurve yielded an equation of Y = 7.9514X - 0.0536 (r = 0.9983) at concentrationsrnranging from 0.02 to 0.12 mg/ml. Both methods showed comparable and reproduciblernresults on identical samples and were employed for standardisation of the extracts ofrnthe seeds of G. lata ides.rnPhysico-chemical properties of the powdered extracts of the seeds such as particle sizernand distribution, morphology, water sorption pattern, densities, flow properties andrncompaction profiles were investigated. Based on the density results, properties, namely,rnporosity, consolidation index (Carr's index) and Hausner ratio were calculated.rnThe effects of some extraction processes, such as extracting solvents and methods ofrnextract drying, on the physical properties of the extracts were investigated and arnsuitable solvent system and drying method were determined.rnBased up on the results of the preformulation studies, the most suitable extract of thernseeds of G. la/aides (570 mg of Extract A) was formulated and compressed into 1.15grnoblong tablets (having long and short diameters of 20.1 and 8.2 mm respectively). Therneffects of types of filler/binder, disintegrants and compression force were investigated.rnTablet properties such as hardness, disintegration time and friability were evaluated andrnsuitable tablet formulation was developed.