DISINTEGRANTS IN SOLID DOSAGE FORMS

The dynamic approach to tablet disintegration, which is based on the measurement of the force that develops inside the compact upon water entrance, is basically taken up. The combined measurements of force development and water uptake, simultaneously effected on the same compact, provide a novel parameter that is proposed to quantify and compare the efficiency of disintegrants. The new parameter, which is based on the "force-equivalent" concept, expresses the capability of a disintegrant of transforming water uptaken into swelling (or disintegrating) force. A few examples, that illustrate the usefulness of this parameter for disintegrant characterization, are given. In parallel to the quantification of swelling (or disintegrating) efficiency inside compacts, attention is also being paid to the characterization of swelling disintegrants as pure materials. In particular the case of the so-called limited swelling materials, for which the quantification of intrinsic swelling (particle volume increase in swelling media) is critical, is considered. The applicability of an instrumental method, which is based on the employment of a Coulter Counter, is discussed alternatively to microscopic methods. Disintegrant characterization may also be considered in view of new possible exploitations of the swelling properties of polymers in controlling drug release. © 1990 Informa UK Ltd All rights reserved: reproduction in whole or part not permitted.