Answers for Exercise 4:

Aspirin Tablets

Evangelista, Iris R.
TTh, 1:30 – 4:30
 Answer for number 5: Types of Tablets
Tablet Type Picture Definition
a. Compressed Tablet  Compressed tablets
represent a significant
proportion of tablets that
are clinically used to
provide systemic
administration of
therapeutic agents
either in an uncoated
state (i.e., in their
simplest form) or in a
coated state.
 These tablets are
designed to provide
rapid disintegration in
the gastric fluid
following ingestion
hence, allowing rapid
release of the drug and,
ultimately, systemic
absorption of the
dosage form.
 Compressed tablets are
formed by compression
of powdered, crystalline,
or granular materials
into the required
geometry by the
application of high
 pressures, utilizing steel
punches and die.
 Examples of
compressed tablets
include tablets for oral,
buccal, sublingual, or
vaginal administration.
b. Sugar-coated  These are compressed
Tablets tablets that have been
coated with
concentrated sugar
solution to improve
patient’s compliance,
increase aesthetic
appeal, mask
objectionable tastes or
odors, increase stability
and/or modify the
release of therapeutic
agent(s).
 Examples of sugar-
coated tablets include
Reasulf tablets – dried
ferrous sulphate BP
200mg (Reagan
Remedies Ltd.), Advil –
Ibuprofen tablet BP
200mg (Pfizer
Consumer Healthcare),
Ebu-200 – Ibuprofen
tablet BP 200mg (Me
cure Industries Ltd) etc.
c. Film-coated Tablets  Film-coated tablets are
conventional tablets
coated with a thin layer
of polymer (e.g.,
hydroxypropyl
methylcellulose,
hydroxypropyl cellulose)
or a mixture of polymers
(e.g., Eudragit E100)
capable of forming a
skin-like film.
 The film is usually
colored and also
impacts the same
general characteristics
as sugar coating with
the added advantage of
being more durable,
less bulky, and less
time-consuming to
apply.
 Examples of Film-
coated tablets include
Curefenac 100 –
Diclofenac potassium
USP 100mg (Unicure
Pharmaceutical Ltd),
Valsartan 320mg Film-
coated Tablets (Actavis
UK Ltd), etc.
d. Effervescent  Effervescent tablets are
Tablets uncoated tablets that
generally contain
organic acids (such as
tartaric or citric acid)
and sodium bicarbonate
in addition to the
medicinal substance or
API.
 They react rapidly in
the presence of water
by releasing carbon
dioxide which acts as a
disintegrator to produce
either a drug
suspension or an
aqueous solution.
 A typical example of this
tablet type is Ca C1000
Sandoz effervescent
tablet (Novartis).
e. Enteric-coated  Enteric-coated tablets
Tablets are compressed tablets
that have delayed-
release properties. They
are coated with
polymeric substances
that resist solution in
gastric fluid but
disintegrate and allow
drug dissolution and
absorption in the
intestine.
  Example of enteric-
coated tablets includes
Lofnac 100 – Diclofenac
sodium delayed-release
tablet USP 100mg (bliss
GVS Pharma Ltd),
Ecotrin tablets and
caplets
(GlaxoSmithKline
Beecham).
f. Chewable Tablets  Chewable tablets are
big sized tablets which
are difficult to swallow
and thus, are chewed
within the buccal cavity
prior to swallowing.
 They are especially
useful for administration
of large tablets to
children and adults who
have difficulty
swallowing conventional
tablets or antacid
formulations in which
the size of the tablet is
normally large and the
neutralization efficacy of
the tablet is related to
particle size within the
stomach.
 Examples of chewable
tablets include Danacid
– compound
 magnesium trisilicate
tablet B.P. (Dana
Pharmaceuticals
Limited), Gestid – tasty
chewable antacid
(Ranbaxy) etc.
g. Buccal and  Buccal and sublingual
Sublingual Tablets tablets are small, flat,
oval tablets that are
intended to be dissolved
in the buccal pouch
(buccal tablets) or
beneath the tongue
(sublingual tablets) for
absorption through the
oral mucosa to produce
a systemic effect.
 Examples include
Glyceryl Trinitrate
tablets.
h. Lozenges or  These are disc-shaped
Troches solid preparations
containing medicinal
agents and generally a
flavouring substance in
a hard candy or sugar
base.
 They are intended to be
slowly dissolved in the
oral cavity, usually for
local effects.
 Examples include
Strepsils Dry Cough
 Lozenges –
Dextromethorphan
Hydrobromide 5mg,
Dichlorobenzyl alcohol
1.2mg, Amylmetacresol
0.6mg (Reckitt
Benckiser), Dequadine
– Dequalinium chloride
BP 250mcg (Evans
Medical PLC), Dr Meyer
Coflin cough lozenges
(Meyer Organics PVT
Ltd), Cofta – Ammonium
chloride/ Ipecacuanha
tablet (Evans Medical
PLC) etc.
i. Tablet Triturates  Tablet triturates are
small, usually
cylindrical, molded, or
compressed tablets
containing small
amounts of usually
potent drugs mixed with
a combination of
sucrose and lactose or
any suitable diluent.
 They are prepared from
moist material, using a
triturate mold that gives
them the shape of cut
sections of a cylinder.
  A typical example of
tablet triturate is NTG
tablets.
j. Hypodermic  Hypodermic tablets are
Tablets soft, readily soluble
tablets that were
originally used by
physicians in
extemporaneous
preparation of
parenteral solutions.
 These tablets are
dissolved in a suitable
vehicle (water for
injections) and
administered by
parenteral route.
 The availability of stable
parenteral solutions and
prefabricated injectable
products, some in
disposable syringes
have also discouraged
their use in recent
times. e.g., Dilaudid –
Dihydromorphinone HCl
(Bilhuber Knoll Corp.).
 k. Gelatin-coated  Gelatin-coated tablets
Tablets are compressed tablets
coated with either one
or two-toned color
gelatin. The gelatin
coating impacts the
same general
characteristics as sugar
coating and film coating
with the added
advantage of improving
the stability of
photosensitive APIs
 example of gelatin-
coated tablets includes
gelatin-coated
hydrochlorothiazide
tablet (Qualitest
Pharmaceuticals),
Tylenol Cold Multi-
Symptom Daytime
(McNeil Consumer) etc.
l. Multi-compressed Subdivided into three groups:
Tablets
i. Compression  Compression coated
coated tablets also referred to
Tablets as dry-coated tablets or
press-coated tablets,
are tablets with two
parts; internal core and
surrounding coat. These
tablets are prepared by
feeding previously
 compressed tablets into
a special tablet press
(e.g., Manesty Drycota)
and compressing
another granulation
layer around a
preformed tablet core
ii. Layered  They are tablets
Tablets composed of two or
more layers of
ingredients. Layered
tablets are prepared by
compressing additional
tablet granulation on a
previously compressed
granulation to form two-
layered or three-layered
tablets, depending on
the number of separate
fills.
iii. Inlay Tablets  Inlay tablets also
referred to as dot, or
bull’s-eye tablet is a
variation of compressed
tablet with a partially
surrounded core.
Instead of the tablet
core being completely
surrounded by the
coating, its top surface
is completely exposed.
 A typical example is a
European preparation
 containing 25 mg of
hydrochlorothiazide in
the bull’s-eye and 600
mg of potassium
chloride in the outside
portion.
m. Rapid Release  Tablets of this type are
Tablets prepared using very
water-soluble excipients
designed to wick water
into the tablet for rapid
disintegration or
dissolution without
chewing.
 Examples of rapid-
release tablets include
Clarinex Reditabs
[desloratadine],
Schering.
n. Extended Release  Extended-release
Tablets tablets sometimes
called controlled-release
tablets, prolonged-
release, delayed
release or sustained
release tablets are
tablets designed to
release their medication
in a predetermined
manner over a
prolonged period of
time.
  A typical example of this
tablet type is
Divalproex-Sodium-
Extended-Release-
Tablets.
o. Vaginal Tablets  Vaginal tablets are
uncoated, bullet-
shaped, or ovoid tablets
designed for vaginal
administration. They are
prepared by
compression and are
shaped to fit tightly on
plastic inserter devices
that accompany the
product.
 Examples include Gyno-
Tiocosid (Neimeth),
Gynesatum-
Clotrimazole vaginal
Tablet (Chazmax
Pharmaceutical
Industries Limited),
Nystamark-Nystatin
Vaginal Tablet (Mark
Pharmaceuticals) etc.
Reference: (2019, July 22). Tablets: General properties, Types, Advantages and
Disadvantages. Retrieved from
http://www.pharmapproach.com/solid-dosage-forms-tablets/.
Proof of experiment: