25 Tablet techonology Flashcards
(28 cards)
Define ‘tablet’
A compressed solid dosage form that contains drugs, with or without excipients.
What are advantages of tablets? (8)
- precise dose
- easy use
- convenient to carry
- large scale manufacturing
- low cost of excipients
- taste making
- complex design possible
- high stability
What are disadvantages of tablets? (5)
- difficult to swallow
- limited dose flexibility
- difficult to compress some drugs
- special packaging required
- bioavailability issues
When are ideal flow and compression properties observed, and why is this important?
Ideal properties are when particles are 0.2-0.5mm diammeter.
This is important for when tablets are made - particles need to have good flowability and compressibility to go through the feed tube and be compressed.
What is direct compression and a notable property?
blend or raw materials (active ingredients and excipients).
Direct compressed tablets break down more easily.
What are advantages and disadvantages of direct compression?
adv:
- fast and cost effective
- minimal additives required
- powders do not go through pre-processing which is good for heat and moisture sensitive drugs.
disadv:
- powders need good flowability and compressibility (most drugs do not possess this)
- powder size range is generally varaible so there is not a uniform blend.
What is granulation?
Formation of granules 0.2-0.5mm in diammeter prior to compression to be in the ideal flow range.
What are advantages and disadvantages of granulation?
Adv:
- idea compression and flow properties
- narrow size distribution will ensure uniform material enters the tablet die (more homogenous composition)
- can use higher quantity of active drug as active drug granules are easier to compress.
Disadv:
- stability (moisture and heating required while pre-processing)
- cost
- cross contamination
What is the most popular manufacturing method for tablets? why?
Wet granulation
- homogenous powder mixture
- can use high drug concentration
- strongest tablet
Excipients used to make a formulation…. (5). Give an example for each point.
- easy to produce in bulk (binders/adhesives)
- non-irritant (diluents)
- behaving in a desired fashion (disintergrants)
- aesthetic and palatable (colouring)
- stable (coatings)
What is a diluent? what does it do? give an example.
Diluents are fillers used when a drug dosage itself is too small to produce the bulk of a tablet. Also used to reduce irritation of drug.
Must be cheap, non-toxic, non-reactive, aesthetic and ideally compressible.
Example: lactose
What is a binder/adhesive? what does it do? give an example
Ensures tablets stay intact.
Helps powder particles/granules adhere to one another within the formulation. Usefule for both direct compressed and granulated tablets.
Example: acacia
What is a glidant? what does it do? give an example.
Prevents friction between particles to improves powder/granule flow.
example: cornstarch
What is a lubricant? what does it do? give an example.
Lubricants prevent tablet materials from adhering to surfaces of dies/punches during manufacturing and improves powder/granule flow.
example: stearic acid
What is a disintegrant? what does it do? give an example
disintergrants ensure that tablets break down once in the body or in contact with water.
Example: starch + derivatives
Why are tablet coatings used?
- Typically added after compression
- Protects tablet contents, or serve functional role e.g. Enteric coating, osmotic pump exterior
- Easier to swallow and aesthetically favourable.
why are colouring/flavouring/sweetening agents used?
- colouring agents used for appearance and identification
- Flavouring/sweetening agents used to mask taste of certain drugs
- -> especially useful in tablets that are dissolved before swallowing or act in oral cavity.
What are the different types of orally ingested tablets? (7)
- standard compressed
- multiple compressed
- repeat action/ sustained release
- delayed release
- sugar/film coated
- chewable
- oral disintergrating
what are different types of tablets used in the oral cavity? (4)
- buccal
- Sublingual
- Troches/lozenges
- Dental cone
What are different types of tablet administered non-orally? (2)
- vaginal
- implantation
What are different types of tablets used to prepare solutions? (4)
- effervescent
- dispersing
- hypodermic (injectable)
- triturates (injectable)
what is a single vs multiple compression tablet?
Single compression tablets are straightforward and fast but is often unable to combine incompatible actives.
Compression of actives in different layers then combining this through multiple compressions allows physically or chemically incompatible drugs to exist in the same drug.
define repeat action, sustained release and delayed release
repeat action: external layer releases immediately and internal layer releases drug slowly.
Sustained release: specialised excipients can be used to slow down drug release.
delayed release: enteric coatings to ensure drug is not released until it reaches a specific part of the GI tract.
Describe oromucosal delivery.
two types; buccal (inside cheeks) and sublingual (under the tongue). Can act locally or have systemic effects.
Muscoadhesion is important in local action. This can be acheived by incorportation of polymer prolonging contact of tablet with mucous membrane.