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By Gamal Shazly
Tablet Coatings
Tablet coating is the application of a coating
material to the exterior of a tablet with the
intention of conferring benefits and properties to
the dosage form over the uncoated variety.
Tablets can be easily coated and a variety of products are available on the market.
Generally, the coating process gives rise to;
Increased bioavailability
Improved patient acceptance
Formulation stability
The rationale for coating pharmaceutical dosage form such as a tablet can be
categorised into three main headings:
Therapy
Technology
Marketing
What is the rationale for coating a
solid dosage form?
Therapy
To minimise irritation of the oesophagus and stomach.
1.Film coating
2. Sugar coating
3. Press coating
Sugar coating
Traditionally sugar coatings formed the bulk of coated tablets but today film coatings
are the more modern technology in tablet coating.
Description of tablets: Smooth, rounded and polished to a high gloss.
Process: Multistage process involving 6 separate operations.
1. Seal tablet core
2. Sub coating
3. Smoothing
4. Colouring
5. Polishing
6. Printing
Multistage process
1. Sealing tablet core- application of a water impermeable polymer such as
Shellac, cellulose acetate phthalate and polyvinyl acetate phthalate, which
protects the core from moisture, increasing its shelf life.
2. Sub coating -by adding bulking agents such as calcium carbonate or talc in
combination with sucrose solution.
Methods of applying the coating syrup include manually using a ladle, and,
Coating faults
These are usually associated with process defects, such as splitting of the
Advantages
Produce tablets in a single step process in relatively short period of time. Process enables
functional coatings to be incorporated into the dosage form.
Disadvantages
There are environmental and safety implications of using organic solvents as well as their
financial expense.
Process:
Single stage process, which involves spraying a coating solution containing the following;
1. Polymer
2. Solvent
3. Plasticizer
4. Colourant
The solution is sprayed onto a rotating tablet bed followed by drying, which facilitates the
removal of the solvent leaving behind the deposition of thin film of coating materials around
each tablet.
Polymers used in film coating
Ideal characteristics of a film coating polymer
Solubility
The polymer should have good solubility in aqueous fluids to facilitate the
dissolution of the active ingredient. However, for modified release the
polymer system should have low water solubility
Viscosity
The polymers should have a low viscosity for a given concentration. This will
coating equipment.
Permeability
the polymers should be efficient barriers against the permeability of water
Examples;
Polyols - Polyethylene glycol 400
Organic esters - diethyl phthalate
Oils/glycerides - fractional coconut oil
Water insoluble pigments are more favourable than water soluble colours for the
following reasons;
Better chemically stability in light
Optimised impermeability to water vapour
Better opacity
Better covering ability
Solvents used in film coating
Modern techniques now rely on water as a polymer solvent because of the
significant drawbacks that readily became apparent with the use of organic
solvents.
3. Sufficient heat input to provide the latent heat of evaporation of the solvent.
This is particularly important with aqueous-based spraying
Logos and break lines should be distinct and not filled in.
The tablet must also be within specifications and any relevant compendial
requirements.
Coating faults
These arise from two distinct causes:
1. Processing: for example, inadequate drying conditions will permit coating
previously deposited on the tablet surface to stick against neighbouring
tablets. When parted, this will reveal the original core surface
underneath.
fluid beds
PRESS COATING
involves the compaction of granular material around an already preformed
Core using compression equipment similar to that used for the core itself,.
to separate chemically incompatible materials, one or more being placed in the core
and the other(s) in the coating layer. However, there is still an interface contact left
between the two layers. In cases where even this is important then the process of
pre coating can be taken one stage further. It is possible to apply two press coatings
tablets with perfect separation between active core and coating, as the two can be
1. Their small size (typically 0.7—2.00 mm) allows them to pass through the
constricted pyloric sphincter and distribute themselves along the
gastrointestinal tract. This tends to overcome the disadvantage that whole
tablets have of a rather irregular passage through the gastrointestinal tract
and consequent irregular absorption
2. Whole, non-disintegrating tablets can be liable to lodge in restrictions within the
gastrointestinal tract, and this can lead to ulcerative damage to the gastric mucosa
as the drug solution is leached out from the tablet. Because of their small size, this
3-Should an individual bead or pellet fail and release all of its contents at once the
patient Would not be exposed to any undue risk. This is Certainly not the case if a
serious
Types of multiparticulate
Extruded/spheroflized granulates
produced in modified granulating equipment , with the drug granulation extruded through
a mesh or other device under pressure to form small granulates which are
subsequently spheronized.
Non-pareilsThese are sucrose spheres which are coated with the drug plus an adhesive
water-soluble polymer (Fig 28.4). After their formation and any necessary intermediate
steps such as drying, they may be coated with the controlled-release coating.
Mechanisms of drug release from multiparticulates
1. Diffusion
On contact with the aqueous fluids of the gastrointestinal tract, water will enter
the interior of the particle by diffusion. Dissolution of the drug will occur and
drug solution will diffuse across the controlled-release coat to the exterior.
2. Erosion
Some coatings can be designed to erode gradually with time, thereby
releasing the drug contained within the pellet.
3. Osmosis
In allowing water to enter, an osmotic pressure can be built up within the
interior of the pellet. drug solution will be forced out of the pellet to the
exterior .
Enteric coating
The technique involved in enteric coating is protection of the tablet core from
disintegration in the acidic environment of the stomach by employing pH sensitive
polymer, which swell or solubilize in response to an increase in pH to release the drug.