Tablet Coating and Its Significance
Start with the big picture
Coating methods include sugar, film, enteric, and compression coating. Sugar coatings create thick, glossy layers but take more processing time and add bulk; film coatings are generally thinner and faster to apply. Enteric films resist gastric conditions and dissolve at higher pH, while modified-release films can use water-insoluble polymers or pore formers to shape drug release. Formulations may contain a polymer, plasticizer, colorant or opacifier, vehicle, and anti-tack agent. Uniform results depend on process conditions such as spray rate, pan speed, temperatures, and tablet-bed moisture, as well as equipment that distributes spray and removes solvent effectively. Recognizing defects such as mottling, roughness, sticking, cracking, and twinning helps connect coating outcomes to formulation and process choices.
What you'll learn
- Distinguish the main tablet coating types and their purposes.
- Describe the core components of a coating formulation.
- Identify process variables that influence coating uniformity.
- Recognize common coating defects and possible causes.
Continue your study
Work through the complete notes and reinforce the topic with the study tools available in the full lesson.