Evaluation of Tablets

Evaluation of Tablets

  1. General Appearance:
  • The general appearance of a tablet, its identity, and general elegance is essential for consumer acceptance, for control of lot-to-lot uniformity and tablet-to-tablet uniformity.
  • The control of general appearance involves the measurement of size, shape, color, presence or absence of odor, taste etc.
  1. Size & Shape:
  • It can be dimensionally described & controlled.
  • The thickness of a tablet is only variables.
  • Tablet thickness can be measured by micrometer or by another device.
  • Tablet thickness should be controlled within a ± 5% variation of standard value.
  1. Unique identification marking:
  • These markings utilize some form of embossing, engraving or printing.
  • These markings include company name or symbol, product code, product name etc.
  1. Organoleptic properties:
  • Color distribution must be uniform with no mottling.
  • For visual color comparison compare the color of sample against standard color. 
  • The presence of odor in a batch of tablet indicates a stability problem such as the characteristics odor of acetic acid in an aspirin tablet.
  • The presence of odor could be characteristic of the drug (Vitamin), added ingredients (flavoring agent) or the dosage form (film-coated tablet have a characteristic odor).
  • For chewable tablet presence or absence of specified taste can be checked.
  • A tablet level of flaws such s chip, cracks, contamination from foreign solid substances (hair, drops of oil, dirt), surface texture (smooth vs rough) and appearance (shining vs dull) may have zero defect
  1. Hardness and Friability:
  • Tablet requires a certain amount of strength or hardness and resistance to friability to withstand mechanical shakes of handling in the manufacture, packaging, and shipping.
  • Hardness generally measures the tablet crushing strength.
  • The strength of a tablet was determined by following ways;
  • By cracking the tablet between 2nd and 3rd fingers with the thumb acting as a fulcrum. If there is a sharp snap, the tablet is an acceptable strength.
  • Tablet hardness can be defined as the force required breaking a tablet in a diametric compression.
  • In this test the tablet is placed between two anvils, force is applied to the anvils, and the crushing strength that just causes the tablet to break is recorded.
  • Generally, used Hardness testers are:
    • Monsanto Tester
    • Strong-Cobb Tester
    • Pfizer Tester
    • Erweka Tester
    • Schleuniger Tester.
  • Hardness for a compressed tablet is 5 to 8 kg.

  • Friability of a tablet can determine in the laboratory by Roche friabilator.
  • This consist of a plastic chamber that revolves at 25 rpm, dropping the tablets through a Distance of six inches in the friabilator, which is then operated for 100 revolutions.
  • The tablets are reweighed.
  • The compressed tablet that loses less than 0.5 to 1.0 % of the Tablet weight are considered acceptable.


  1. Drug Content and Release:
  • Weight Variation test (U.S.P.):
  • Take 20 tablets and weighed individually.
  • Calculate average weight and compare the individual tablet weight to the average.
  • The tablet pass the U.S.P. test if no more that 2 tablets are outside the percentage limit and if no tablet differs by more than 2 times the percentage limit.
  • Sno
    Average weight
    Maximum percentage difference allowed
    1
    130 or less
    10
    2
    130-324
    7.5
    3
    More than 324
    5
  • Content Uniformity Test:
  • Randomly select 30 tablets.
  • 10 of these assayed individually.
  • The Tablet passes the test if 9 of the 10 tablets must contain not less than 85% and not more than 115% of the labeled drug content and the 10th tablet may not contain less than 75% and more than 125% of the labeled content.
  • If these conditions are not met, remaining 20 tablet assayed individually and none may fall out side of the 85 to 115% range.



  • Disintegration Test (U.S.P.):
  • The U.S.P. device to test disintegration uses 6 glass tubes that are 3” long; open at the top and 10 mesh screen at the bottom end.
  • To test for disintegration time, one tablet is placed in each tube and the basket rack is positioned in a 1-L beaker of water, simulated gastric fluid or simulated intestinal fluid at 37 ± 20 C such that the tablet remain 2.5 cm below the surface of liquid on their upward movement and not closer than 2.5 cm from the bottom of the beaker in their downward movement.
  • Move the basket containing the tablets up and down through a distance of 5-6 cm at a frequency of 28 to 32 cycles per minute.
  • Floating of the tablets can be prevented by placing perforated plastic discs on each tablet.
  • According to the test the tablet must disintegrate and all particles must pass through the 10 mesh screen in the time specified.
  • If any residue remains, it must have a soft mass.
  • Disintegration time: Uncoated tablet: 5-30 minutes
  • Coated tablet: 1-2 hours




  • Dissolution Test (U.S.P.):
  • Two set of apparatus:
  • Apparatus-1: A single tablet is placed in a small wire mesh basket attached to the bottom of the shaft connected to a variable speed motor.
  • The basket is immersed in a dissolution medium (as specified in monograph) contained in a 100 ml flask.
  • The flask is cylindrical with a hemispherical bottom.
  • The flask is maintained at 37±0.50C by a constant temperature bath.
  • The motor is adjusted to turn at the specified speed and sample of the fluid are withdrawn at intervals to determine the amount of drug in solutions.




  • Apparatus-2:
  • It is same as apparatus-1, except the basket is replaced by a paddle.
  • The dosage form is allowed to sink to the bottom of the flask before stirring.
  • For dissolution test U.S.P. specifies the dissolution test medium and volume, type of apparatus to be used, rpm of the shaft, time limit of the test and assay procedure for.
  • The test tolerance is expressed as a % of the labeled amount of drug dissolved in the time limit.
  • Dissolution testing and Interpretation can be done in three stages:
  1. Stage 1: Six tablets are tested and are acceptable if all of the tablets are not less than the monograph tolerance limit (Q) plus 5% if fail,
  2. Stage 2: Another six tablets are tested. The tablets are acceptable
Take 6 tablets, test individually, Avg. weight 12 tablets is greater or equal to but no one less than (Q-15) %
If the average of the twelve is greater than or equal to Q and no unit is less than (Q-15) % if fail
  1. Stage 3: Another 12 tablets are tested. The tablets are acceptable if the average of all 24 tablets is greater than or equal to Q and if no more than 2 tablets are less than (Q-15) %

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