The Effect of Maximum Compression Force and Drug Content on Compression Force-Time cProfile Parameters

Abstract

Compression force-time profiles have been obtained for three series of directly compressed tablets containing various quantities of prednisone, phenobarbital and isoniazide in a microcrystalline cellulose matrix. The tablets were punched in an excentric press equipped with piezoelectric transducers, and the profiles were characterized by the parameters: area under curve, width at half height, inflection point ordinate and maximum positive slope, whose dependence on maximum compression force and drug content was evaluated. Since the effects of maximum compression force overwhelmed those of drug content, it was found preferable to normalize the variables area under curve, inflection point ordinate and maximum positive slope by dividing them by the maximum compression force. The strong correlation between the width at half height and the normalized area under the curve as regards their dependence on maximum compression force and drug content suggest that it is redundant to use both these variables.