Pharma gyan Pandit

Pharmaceutical aspects of capsules

Essentially capsules are solid dosage form containing liquid medication and therefore offer certain advantages. They permit liquid medications to become easily portable.

These capsules easily pass the appropriate compendial tests and surpass other solid dosage form because liquid formulations can be more accurately and precisely compounded, blended, homogenized and measured or dispensed then can dry solid formulations.

Dissolution and disintegration-

The majority of drugs were more rapidly and completely available for dissolution from the soft gelatin capsule then from the commercial tablets and capsules in accordance to dissolution and disintegration time. The dissolution on capsules of chloramphenicol, using the modified USP apparatus (rotating bottle method), showed that

soft gelatin capsules brand to releases Hard shell capsule   brands B2 and D releases

22.3 to 24.8% in 30 min 100.7% and 87.2%

The physiologic availability of drugs is often improved by liquid drug substance i.e., it contains the drug in liquid form or in suspension. Nelson,in his review, points out that the availability of a drug for absorption of solid dosage forms decreases as below:

SOLUTION>SUSPENSION>POWDER FILLED CAPSULE>COMPRESSED TABLET >COATED TABLET