medicines design and manufacturing

Challenges with powder

moisture, flow, mixing and separation

Hygroscopic

Substance that adsorbs water

Deliquescent

Can dissolve during processing and storage

Caking

Stick together

Flow effect on powder

Poor flow—> inaccurate / inconsistent packing

Size, shape, moisture, surface charge affect

Granulation

Powders are bound together to form larger particles

Wet granulation

Particles glued with water-soluble polymer (binding agent—> PVP)

Dry granulation

Particles held together by compression at points of contact

Bulking agent

Add bulk to drug (few mg)

Such as glucose, lactose, orbital, starch, cellulose, talc

Granulating agents (binders)

Bind powders into granules

PVP

Anti-caking agent

Adsorb water

Silica, starch

Disintegrant

Break tablet up in the stomach by attracting water and making it swell

Immediate release tablets

Disintegrate and release drug in stomach

Fast acting

Delayed release

Remain intact in the stomach and disintegrate in SI

Used if drug degrades in stomach or irritates lining

Coating is insoluble in acid

Extended release

Slowly release drug in the GI tract over 8-24h

When might extended release drugs be used

If fast release drugs cause side effects

Dose

Amount of medicine or drug taken on one occasi9n

Frequency

How often the dose is taken

What happens to immediate release tablets in the stomach

They disintegrate

Legal max of non-effervescent paracetamol tablets that can be sold

100