Tablet/capsule disintegrants

Garlic supplements - powder tablets or capsules, steam-distilled oil, vegetable oil macerate extract, or extract aged in dilute alcohol - are widely available and are taken by millions. Since the active principle, allicin, is not present in garlic bulb, the supplements rely on the presence of precursor alliin and enzyme alliinase. In tests on 24 commercial brands of enteric-coated tablets, all except one gave low dissolution allicin release 83% of the brands released less than 15% of their potential allicin.78,79 Relevant factors were impaired enzyme activity caused by excipients and slow tablet disintegration. Caveat emptor ... 

Desai, DS, Rubitska, BA, Varia SA, Newman AW. Physical interactions of magnesium stearate with starch-derived disintegrants their effects on capsule tablet dissolution. Int J Pharm 1993 91 217-226. 

We include certain excipients in a formulation specifically because they interact with the physiological fluids and the bodily functions in a certain way. For example, as discussed above, we include disintegrants in immediate release tablet and capsule formulations, because we know that when they encounter the aqueous environment of the stomach, they will cause the tablet or capsule to disintegrate and thereby aid dissolution of the API. Another example is the general case of hydrophilic colloid matrices used as prolonged release drug delivery systems. We know that when these materials contact the aqueous environment of the GIT they swell and create a diffusion barrier that slows the rate of dissolution of the dissolved drug. 

Adsorbent suspending agent tablet and capsule diluent tablet disintegrant. 

Croscarmellose sodium is used in oral pharmaceutical formulations as a disintegrant for capsules, tablets, and granules. 

GACP, GMP and GLP standards. During the industrial manufacturing of herbal medicinal products not only the raw material is subject to rigid quality control, but also the quality of the semi-manufactured and finished product is monitored (in-process controls) and evaluated (end controls on content, identity, purity). Finally a pharmaceutical dosage form should comply with the applicable pharmacopoeial standards (e.g., crush strength of tablets, disintegration time of tablets and capsules, uniformity of mass and content [11-13]). 

Control of moisture content in granulations is very important and it could affect the physical and chemical performance of final dosage forms. Moisture could affect flow of granules, tablet compression, tablet disintegration, crystal habit, capsule... 

Difficulty swallowing tablets/capsules Risperidone or aripiprazole liquid, orally-disintegrating tablets (risperidone, olanzapine, clozapine) Long-acting risperidone... 

FW Goodhart, RH McCoy, FC Ninger. New in vitro disintegration and dissolution test method for tablets and capsules. J Pharm Sci 62 304-310, 1973. 

Orally disintegrating tablet Oral solution Patch Oral solution Extended-release (ER) capsule... 

Hardness of a solid (granule, pellet, or tablet) (i.e., related to amount of compression used to make tablet) or capsule if they do not disintegrate appropriately. 

---