W10 Tablet Manufacture and Excipients

Question 1

Differences between powders and granules?

Answer 1

Powders
- Loosely packed
- Poor flowability
- Not Uniform
- Dusty

Granules
- Denser
- Good flowability
- Uniform
- Reduce dust

Question 2

Different types of tablets? (8)

Answer 2

1. Disintegrating
2. Chewable
3. Effervescent
4. Lozenges
5. Sublingual
6. Buccal
   6.Extended/prolonged/sustained release tablets
   7.Delayed release/enteric-coated tablets

Question 3

Method for swallowing tablets? (2)

Answer 3

1. Pop-bottle method
2. Lean-forward method

Question 4

Benefits of Tablets?

Answer 4

• Ease of administration and patient acceptance
• Swallowing
• Chewable and effervescent formulations
• Convenient handling/compactness
• Accurate dosage
• Chemical and physical stability
• Low cost of manufacturing, packaging, shipping
• Different to tamper with

Question 5

How are tablets made?

Answer 5

1. Single punch (stamping) tablet
   press (lab scale)
   Hopper shoe
   Upper punch
   Die
   Lower punch
   Ejection-regulating screw
   Capacity-regulating screw
2. Multi-station (rotary) tablet press
   (industrial scale)

Question 6

Tableting is a compaction process and involves what two steps?

Answer 6

1. Compression
   * Reduction in bulk volume,
   removal of void (air) and
   bringing particles closer
   * Porosity
   * Dissolution
2. Consolidation
   * Increased mechanical
   strength due to
   interparticulate interactions
   * Hardness
   * Friability

Question 7

Process of tableting:

Answer 7

Compression
* Deformation: Increasing the applied pressure causes
change of shape of particles

Bonding: Interparticulate interactions after plastic deformation at the particle interfaces and alignment of
particle surfaces

Decompression
* The interparticulate bonds formed must be sufficiently robust to withstand release of the applied pressure
* Removal of the upper punch relieves the axial pressure but a radial pressure from the die remain

Ejection
* Tablet is removed from the die cavity
* The ejection force (EF) must be greater than
* Quotient of the residual die wall force (RDWF) exerted from
the table
* Friction between the tablet and the die wall (μw)

Question 8

What excipients are there in a tablet?

Answer 8

• Filler/diluent
• Binder
• Disintegrant
• Lubricant
• Glidant
• Wetting agent
• Dissolution enhancer
• Dissolution retardant
• Adsorbent
• Buffer
• Antioxidant
• Chelating agent
• Preservative
• Colourant
• Flavour
• Sweetener