Tablets A rapid systemic drug effect can thus be obtained

- It is the most common type of dosage form. without first-pass liver metabolism because the drug
Primarily composed of API and excipients. diffuses into the blood, directly through tissues under
- Oral or the sublingual routes of the tongue in case of sublingual tablets and through
administration. oral mucosa in case of buccal tablets.
- They are made by compressing They are often small and porous, the latter
powdered drugs along with various facilitating fast disintegration and drug release.
excipients in a tablet press.
Buccal tablets:
TYPES OF TABLETS: Buccal tablets are small, flat, and oval shaped dosage
form and unlike conventional tablets allow for
Classification according to their drug-release drinking and speaking without major discomfort.
characteristics: They soften, adhere to the mucosa and are retained
in position until dissolution and/or release is
complete. Can be used for both local and systemic
1. Immediate-release tablet: drug delivery.

2. Modified-release tablet Lozenges

: 3. Delayed release tablet ● They are tablets that dissolve slowly in the
mouth and so release the drug dissolved in
the saliva.
● Lozenges may be used for;
Immediate-release tablet: ● Local medication for mouth or throat, e.g.
local anesthetics, antiseptics and antibiotics.
Disintegrating tablet (conventional or plain tablet) ● Systemic drug uptake.
Disintegrating tablets are the most common type of
tablets that is intended to be swallowed and to release
the drug in a relatively short time thereafter, by Soluble tablets
disintegration and dissolution (fast and complete drug Soluble tablets are uncoated or film-coated tablets.
release in vivo). They are intended to be dissolved in water before
It normally includes the following type of excipients, administration.
filler (with low dose drug), disintegrant, binder, The solution produced may be slightly opalescent due
glidant, lubricant and antiadherent. to the added excipients used in the manufacture of
tablets.

Chewable tablets Orally Disintegrating Tablets (ODT)

Chewable tablets are to be chewed and thus Orally disintegrating tablets are defined as solid oral
mechanically disintegrated in the mouth, so NO preparations that disintegrate rapidly in the oral
DISINTEGRANT IS INCLUDED IN ITS cavity with an in vitro disintegration time of less than
COMPOSITION. 30 seconds, according to FDA guidelines (guidance
Flavoring, sweetening, and coloring agents are for industry; 2008).
important.
Sorbitol and mannitol are common examples of
fillers in chewable tablets, (mannitol has negative
heat of solution which results in cooling effect and
also has sweetening action) Modified release tablet
● Extended-release tablet
● Delayed release tablet
Effervescent tablets:
Effervescent tablets are uncoated tablets generally EXTENDED- RELEASE TABLET:
containing acid substances and carbonates or Slowly release the drug in the GIT at a constant rate
hydrogen carbonates which react rapidly in the Prolonged release and sustained release (12-24
presence of water to release carbon dioxide. They are hours)
intended to be dissolved or dispersed in water before The aim is to increase the time during
administration. which a therapeutic concentration level in the blood
Effervescent tablets are dropped into a glass of water is maintained.
before administration, during which carbon dioxide is To increase the release time for drugs that can cause
liberated. local irritation in the stomach or intestine if they are
released quickly (iron salts).

Sublingual and Buccal tablets: Delayed release tablet:

They are used for drug release in mouth followed by
systemic uptake of the drug.
 Drug release is delayed due to physiological ● Diluents
conditions e.g. pH (a lag period followed by normal - To prepare tablets of the desired
release). size/ bulk.
The best example is enteric coated tablets, the drug Ex. Starch, Lactose (most common,
is released in the upper part of the small intestine water-soluble and readily releases drug),
after which the preparation has passed the stomach. Mannitol (for water-sensitive), Sorbitol
If the drug is sensitive to acid, or is irritant to the (highly hygroscopic)
stomach lining, an enteric coating can be used.
● Binders/ Adhesives
- Promote adhesion and granular
process & cohesive compacts.
CLASSIFICATION According to method of - Added along w/ diluents and
manufacturing: add as a slurry.
(excess binding- difficulty in compression if
colored.)
Compressed tablet: Ex. Cornstarch (starch, 5-20%), Glucose
It is obtained by compressing a uniform volume of
particles using "Tablet compression machine. ● Disintegrants
It's used for large scale production. - Promote breakup of the tablets
after administration to smaller
Molded tablets: particles for ready drug
Molding means shaping and hardening of semi- solid availability.
mixture of drug and excipients. - Opposes binder action
It is obtained using ʺtablet mold“. It is restricted for - If not effective: no drug release.
small-dose tablet and for small scale production. - Attract water into the tablet
causing the tablet to burst.
Coated tablets: - Added before compression and
Coated tablets are defined as tablets covered with wet granulation, half before
one or more layers of mixtures of various substances. granulation and compression
The intention of (adding) conferring benefits and Ex. Cellulose Derivatives, Clays, Starc (5-20%)
properties to the dosage form over the uncoated one. Two types of Disintegrants:
1. External (tablet- granules)
Sugar-Coated Tablets (SCT) 2. Internal (granules- powder)
These are compressed tablets containing a sugar
coating. Such coatings may be colored and are ● Glidants
beneficial in covering up drug substances - Enables the granules to flow
possessing objectionable tastes or odors, and in from a hopper on the tablet
press to the die & tear of the
protecting materials sensitive to oxidation.
tableting machine.
- For consistent and uniform fill
Film-Coated Tablets (FCT)
These are compressed tablets which are covered with
● Lubricants
a thin layer or film of a water- soluble material.
- Aid in releasing the compressed
Several polymeric substances with film-forming
tablet from the die.
properties may be used.
Film coating imparts the same general characteristics
● Antiadherents
as sugar coating with the added advantage of a
- Prevent the formation of
greatly reduced time period required for the coating
residue films of tablet
operation.
granulations on the punches.
Enteric-Coated Tablets (ECT)
● Adsorbents
These are compressed tablets coated with substances
- Capable of holding quantities of
that resist solution in gastric fluid but disintegrate in
fluids in an apparently dry state.
the intestine. It can be used for tablets containing
drug substances.
●Colorants
which are inactivated or destroyed in the stomach,
- For identify; can cause dyes
for those which irritate the mucosa or as a means of
(water-soluble) & lakes
delayed release of the medication.
pigments (dye & salt;
Gelatin Coated tablets
water-insoluble)
-recent innovation, gelcap, capsule shaped allows the
-
coated product to be about ⅓ smaller than a capsule
COLORING AGENTS :
filled w/ an equivalent amount of powder.
1. Sulfur - yellow
-
2. Riboflavin - yellow
EXCIPIENTS USED IN FORMULATION
3. Curpic sulfate - blue
OF TABLETS:
4. Cyanocobalamin - Bluish Green
5. Ferrous Sulfate - red
 6. Red Mercuric Iodide- Vivid red a. Weighing & blending
the ingredients
CERTIFIED COLOR ADDITIVES: b. Preparing a dampened
1.FD & C COLOR ADDITIVES (Food , Dice powder or a damp mass
and Cosmetics) c. Screening the
- Used in drugs, food and dampened powder or
cosmetics. damp mass into pellets
a. Blue no. 1- Brilliant Blue (Blue) or granules
b. Blue no. 2 - Indigotine (Indigo) d. Drying the granulation
c. Green no. 3 - Fast green (Tortoise) e. Sizing the Granulation
d. Red no. 3 - Erythrosine (Pink) by dry screening
e. Red no. 40 - Allura Red (Red) f. Adding lubricant &
f. Yellow no. 5 -Tartrazine (Yellow) blending
g. Yellow no. 6 - Sunset Yellow (Orange) g. Forming tablets by
compression
2. D & C COLOR ADDITIVES 2. Dry Granulation
- Some used in drugs, cosmetics - the powder mixture is
and medical devices compacted in large pieces &
3. EXTERNAL D & C COLOR ADDITVES subsequently broken down or
- The use of which is restricted to sized into granules
external parts of the body, not - for moisture sensitive material
including the lips or any other - Thermolabile in the during
body surface covered by mucous process
membrane. ● Slugging
- the powder is slugged, a
a. Pink to Red- cherry, strawberry, apple, compressed, into large flat
raspberry tablets or pellets about 1 inch in
b. Brown - choco, maple, caramel, nut diameter
molasses ● Roller Compaction
c. Yellow to orange- lemon, lime, orange, - is a method often preferred to
banana slugging
d. Green- lime, mint, menthol, pistachio, - powder compactors may be used
spearmint to increase the density of a
e. Off White/ White - vanilla, banana, powder by pressing it between
caramel, mint, custard rollers at 1-6 tons of pressure.
f. Violet/ Purple - grape, plum, licorice The compacted material is
g. Blue - mint, blueberry, plum, licorice broken up, sized, & lubricated,
& tablets are prepared by
compression in the usual
● Sweeteners manner
- Naturals : Sucrose, Stevia ● Method of Dry Granulation for Tablet
- Honey (Apis mellifera) Manufacture:
- Synthetic: Aspartame (180x ● Milling → Mixing → Slugging →
sweetener than sucrose Screening
- Saccharin (500x sweeter than ↓
sucrose) Compression ← Mixing w/ disintegrant
- & lubricant
● Flavorants 3. Direct Compression Tableting
- For flavors/ baseline taste - some granular chemicals, like
a. Sweet- honey, mixed fruits, berries, potassium chloride, possess
vanilla, mapple free-flowing & cohesive
b. Bitter - chocolate, cherry mint, nut, properties that enable them to
fennel be compressed directly in a
c. Salty- butterscotch, melon, maapple, tablet machine without any
peach, raspberry, mixed citrus/ fruit, need of granulation
nut
d. Sour- citrus, cherry, strawberry
e. Alkaline- chocolate, cream, vanilla, mint
combination
COMMON PROBLEMS:
1. Capping – partial or complete separation of
Three Basic Methods in preparing the top or bottom crowns
Compressed Tablets: - Cause: excessive elastic, or waxy
1. Wet Granulation excipients in formulations
- widely employed method
- required some steps:
 - Remedies: reduce the amount or - Remedies: Thinning of coating
change the elastic or waxy solution with additional solvents
excipients. may correct this problem
2. Lamination – separation of a tablet into 2 or 11. Bridging - filling-in of the score line or
more distinct horizontal layers. indented logo on the tablet by the the
- Cause: Damaged tooling such as plasticizer contents or chanfilm; masking of
poorly finished dies monogram
- Remedies: Use finely polish dies 12. Remedies: Increasing ging the plasticizer
3. Chipping – breaking of tablet edges during can decrease of bridging
the press process or during the subsequent 13. Blistering - reduced adhesion between film
handling and coating & surface of tablet due to rapid drying
- Cause: Poor finish or worn - Remedies: Milder drying condition
punches and dies is preferred to avoid this problem
- Remedies: Polish, reface, or 14. Tablet Erosion - disfiguration of the core
replace punches and dies tablet when subjected for too long the
4. Sticking – tablet sticks to the punch or coating solution
adhesion of tablet material to the die wall 15. Bloom - dull film due to humid conditions
during compression. or migration of plasticizer to surface of coat
- Cause: Too much hygroscopic
excipients Advantages
- Remedies: Lessen the humidity in
the compression room. 1. Large scale manufacturing is feasible in
5. Picking – when a small amount of material comparison to other dosage forms.
from a tablet is sticking to and being Therefore, the economy can be achieved.
removed from tablet-surface by a punch. 2. Accuracy of dose is maintained since the
- Cause: Inappropriate dried tablet is a solid unit dosage form.
granules. 3. Tailor made release profile can be achieved.
- Remedies: Properly dry the 4. Longer expiry period and minimum
granules to keep optimum microbial spillage owing to lower moisture
moisture. content.
6. Cracking – small, dine cracks observed on 5. As tablets are not a sterile dosage form,
the upper and lower central surface of the stringent environmental conditions are not
tablet or very rarely on the side wall. required in the tablet department.
- Cause: Large size of granules. 6. Ease of packaging (blister or strip) and easy
- Remedies: Reduce granule size. handling.
Use proper granular size with 7. Ease of product identification because of
sufficient fine materials but fine the huge number of shapes and colours.
materials should not be more than 8. Easy to transport in bulk. Emergency
15%. supply supplies can be carried by patients.
7. Mottling – unequal distribution of color on 9. Organoleptic properties (taste, appearance
a tablet, with light or dark spots standing out and odour) are best improved by coating the
in an otherwise uniform surface tablet.
- Cause: A dye migrates to the 10. Product identification is easy and markings
surface of granulation while drying. done with the help of grooved punches and
- Remedies: Increase dry mixing printing with edible ink.
time during granulation. Use a 11. Different types of tablets are available like
proper and fine binder. Use a buccal, floating, colon targeting,
smaller particle-sized dye effervescent, dispersible, soluble, and
8. Mottling – unequal distribution of color on chewable, etc.
a tablet, with light or dark spots standing out 12. In composition to parenteral dosage form, a
in an otherwise uniform surface doctor or a nurse is not required for
- Cause: A dye migrates to the administration. I.e. self-administration is
surface of granulation while drying. possible.
- Remedies: Increase dry mixing 13. In comparison to capsules, tablets are more
time during granulation. Use a tamperproof.
proper and fine binder. Use a
smaller particle-sized dye Disadvantages of Tablets.
9. Peeling - large amounts of film fragments
1. Drugs not absorbed or extensively degraded
flaking from the tablet surface
into the GI tract cannot be made into tablets.
10. Orange peel effect - roughness of the tablet
2. It is difficult to convert a high dose poorly
surface due to
compressible API into a tablet of suitable
- Causes: Inadequate spreading of
size for human use.
coating before drying causes a
3. Difficult to formulate a drug with poor
bumpy
wettability, slow dissolution into a tablet.
4. Slow onset of action as compared to
parenteral, liquid orals and capsules.
5. The amount of liquid drug (e.g. Vitamin E,
Simethicone) that can be trapped into a
tablet is very less.
6. Difficult to swallow for kids, terminally ill
and geriatric patients
7. Patients undergoing radiotherapy cannot
swallow tablet