What Is Pharmaceutical Granulation?
What is pharmaceutical granulation?
Pharmaceutical granulation is a process whereby granulated active ingredients (the drugs), are combined with excipient substances (additional inert powders). The binding of these powders creates medicines in tablet form. No tablet can consist of purely an active ingredient therefore extensive tests are carried out to find the perfect excipient to mix in. Just a small variation in the type or quantity of the excipient, can have a significant impact on how the drug works, along with the ability to distribute a tablet that is always exactly the same. Although the significant amount of trials carried out to test the excipient within each pill can be highly costly and time consuming, it is essential that the correct one is found. Once the perfect excipient is found, it will help the active ingredient to bond and evenly distribute itself around the body. It may also be flavoured to make the tablet more pleasant for the consumer. Coatings can also be used to improve the flavour of the tablet; these often contain sugar to create a sweet taste. The coating may also be designed to control where in the digestive system the active ingredient is released, this will ensure the most beneficial release of the drug.
The process of pharmaceutical granulation is not the same for all tablets. There can be different problems depending on the density or particle size within tablets, along with other compatibility issues. Here the active ingredient may not blend with the excipient and segregation can occur. Tablets may cause problems when consumed or simply not work effectively where this has happened. It is therefore necessary to run tests to completely ensure that the particles are correctly bound and distributed with the ability to do so in large scale production. Sometimes segregation can be resolved by granulating the active ingredient alone in the first instance, and then granulating it alongside the excipient afterwards to form the tablet.
Why is pharmaceutical granulation used?
The most widespread form of medication used across the world is tablets; thus making the process of pharmaceutical granulation extremely commonly used and incredibly important. Tablets are used in the treatment of a huge quantity of illnesses and diseases. They are very convenient to carry around and can be consumed easily without any need for extra devices, possibly just a fluid to aid swallowing. This is a strong advantage over other medicines which may require a measuring spoon or syringe at least. Individuals that are required to take a number of pills each day are able to take tablets out of their original packaging and place them into portion boxes for each day, allowing them to be better managed and organised. Pharmaceutical granulation helps to create strong hard tablets which will not disintegrate into a fine powder and therefore can be managed and handled easily. The ability of the pill to avoid crumbling also ensures there is no loss of any active ingredient. This is highly important as it guarantees the consumer is receiving not only the same dosage each time, but also the correct dosage throughout their treatment. Furthermore hard, strong tablets can be snapped without any crumbling to enable individuals who perhaps prefer to swallow smaller parts at a time, to break the tablets in half.
Machinery used for pharmaceutical granulation
Purchasing machinery for pharmaceutical granulation can be extremely expensive, particularly in the testing stage. Both Spheronization and Extrusion equipment will be required to perform the process which can be bulky and difficult to store. Fortunately there are a few options for new or smaller pharmaceutical companies carrying out trials to reduce both the cost and need for storage space. Some manufacturers provide the option of hiring the equipment, allowing pharmaceutical companies to pay a smaller fee and return the product after use. Alternatively small scale versions of the machines can be bought which are easier to store and cheaper to obtain. One of the leading providers of small scale speronization equipment is Caleva, their Spheronizer 380 is specifically designed for small scale trials and production. They also offer machine hire to those who only require the machinery for shorter periods of time or for those who are not ready to commit to full scale production.
