Formulation and Evaluation of Paracetamol 500 G Tablets Produced by a New Direct Cranulation Method

Abstract

Currendy there are three general methods available for producing tablets. These methods are (a) direct compression, (b) double compression or slugging, and (c) wet granulation. The simplest method is direct compression, since the drug need only be mixed with a suitable free flowing exeipieut and compressed directly into tablets. The process has obvious advantages since the use of a binding agent is avoided and no drying at all is required. As a result it can be used to tablet hydrolysable and theroolabile drugs. Even though it does have many advantages, it also has limitations concerning capacity, colouration and segregation. Perhaps the most serious disadvantage is the segregation of components during handling. no further lubricant was added since the granules were effectively self-lubricating. Compression of the granules was effected on a Maneaty F3 instrumented machine between J “punches at 47, 102 and 215 MNm”². 20 tablets from each batch were individually weighed and the mean, the standard deviation, and the coefficient of variation evaluated.