Tablets

The pharmaceutical tablet can be defined as a solid oral dosage form or solid unit dosage form. It contains a mix of active substances with pharmaceutical excipients. Any substance apart from the active ingredient can be classified as an excipient. The excipients that are used in tablets are diluents, binders, glidants and lubricants. The most popular form of a tablet is the compressed form. A tablet can be designed to accurately deliver targeted cavities of the body. Tablets can be administered orally, buccally, intravaginally or rectally. The tablets may differ in size, shape, weight, thickness, dissolution and hardness depending on the use and manufacturing method. 

Pharmaceutical Properties of Tablets

After the table definition, we will see the properties of tablets 

• It should be hard and strong enough to withstand mechanical shocks through the manufacturing, packing, and shipping stages 
• The tablet produced must also be physically and chemically stable
• The drug entity in the tablet should be bioavailable. This means that the tablet should release the content it consists of in a predictable and reproducible way
• It should not have any sort of defects such as cracks, chips, or contamination. It also should have an elegant product identity
• The tablets for a particular targeted body part should be uniform in terms of weight and drug content

Types of Tablets 

The various types of tablets along with their properties will be discussed here. 

• A compressed form of tablets 

It is one of the predominant forms of tablets that have been widely used clinically. It is used to provide therapeutic agents in a coated or uncoated state. This type of tablet has rapid disintegration in the gastric fluid once ingested. It allows a rapid release of the drug entity and then absorption of the dosage takes place in the body. 

They are created by compressing the powder, crystalline or granular substances into the required geometrical shape. This is done by applying high pressures and using steel punches. Other than Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (aka API). It contains excipients (disintegrants, lubricants, binders, etc.) and miscellaneous components (colorants and flavorings).

Example – paracetamol 500 mg

• Sugar-coated type of tablets 

They are compacted tablets with a concentrated sugar solution coating.This is done

1. To enhance the patient’s compliance
2. To give an elegant appeal
3. To increase the stability of the tablet 
4. To modify the release of therapeutic agents 

Sugar-coated tablets are less prevalent nowadays due to high operating costs, size and weight increases, and high shipping costs.

BP 200mg dried ferrous sulphate and BP 200mg Advil – Ibuprofen tablet are such examples.

• Film-coated types of tablets 

They are conventional tablets that are coated with a thin layer of polymer (like hydroxyl methylcellulose or hydroxypropyl cellulose) or a mix of polymers. These polymers form a thin or skin-like film around the tablet. These films are colored. The film adds an advantage to the tablet by making it more durable, and less bulky, and costumes take less time to apply. The film coating is designed in such a way that it breaks down and releases the core of the table to the targeted gastrointestinal tract.

Example – valsartan 320 mg

• Effervescent type of tablets

They are a type of uncoated tablets. It embodies organic acids (like tartaric acid and citric acid) and sodium bicarbonate is added with the API. In the presence of water, it reacts vigorously and liberates carbon dioxide. Effervescent tablets are created by compressing granular effervescent salts (like organic acid and bicarbonate) along with the API. 

Example – Novartis ( aka Ca C1000 Sandoz effervescent tablet)

• Enteric-coated type of tablet 

These tablets are compressed with delayed-release characteristics. It has a polymer coating (cellulose acetate phthalate or hydroxypropylmethylcellulose succinate). Hence, it resists the gastric solution but is capable of disintegrating and allows absorption in the intestine.

Enteric-coated tablets are used when the drug entity is inactive or destroyed by the gastric acid.

Examples – Lofnac 100 – Diclofenac sodium and Ecotrin tablets and caplets 

• Chewable type of tablets 

These tablets are bigger compared to the other types. It is difficult to swallow and therefore has to be chewed. They are administered to adults and children who have difficulty swallowing the conventional tablets.

Examples – Danacid (compound magnesium trisilicate tablet) and Gestid (tasty chewable antacid) 

• Sublingual and buccal types of tablet 

They are flat, small, oval-shaped tablets that are capable of dissolving in the buccal cavity and beneath the tongue. They can be rapidly absorbed into the systemic circulation

Example – glyceryl trinitrate sublingual tablets

Pharmaceutical Tablet Uses

• They give an accurate dosage of the API or medicaments in a convenient package
• The different colors and markings help distinguish the tablets doe different uses 
• It is used to disguise unstable medications and unpalatable entities. 
• Tablets are medicines that are easy to swallow 
• They provide relief to many diseases and ailments
• They can be conveniently carried even when traveling 

Conclusion 

In this article, we have discussed the definition of tablet. It is described as a solid oral dosage form or solid unit dosage form in terms of pharmaceutics. A tablet can be designed to accurately deliver targeted cavities of the body. Tablets can be administered orally, buccally, intravaginally, or rectally. A few properties of tablets are that they should be hard and strong enough to withstand mechanical shocks. The tablet produced must be physically and chemically stable. The drug entity in the tablet should be bioavailable. The types of pharmaceutical tablets include compressed, sugar-coated, film-coated, sublingual and buccal, effervescent and chewable tablets.