Fast dissolving/disintegrating tablets (FDTs) can be manufactured by direct
compression provided the challenge of fast disintegration with adequate mechanical
strengths can be addressed. Superdisintegrants, directly compressible coprocessed
excipients and water soluble excipients have opened up the flood gates of opportunities
in designing and developing FDTs by direct compression. Unacceptable properties of
active pharmaceutical ingredient (API), like poor solubility, bitter taste, low
bioavailability, may be addressed by making granules, micro-particulates and/or using
various coating methods. Such treated API can be used in preparing FDTs.
Effervescent agents have also gained attention as disintegrating agents in tablets so as
to fasten tablet disintegration time to achieve pharmacopoeial or regulatory compliance
for disintegration time. This chapter describes various FDT technologies based on
modifications of conventional tablet manufacturing methods. These techniques can be
grouped into four categories, viz. direction compression, granulation methods,
effervescent tablets and direct compression with subsequent treatments.
Keywords: AdvatabTM, Crystalline transition, Direct compression, DuraSolv®,
Easy-tecTM, Effervescence, Flashtab®, Frosta®, Granulation, Humidity treatment,
OraQuick®, OraSolv®, Pharmaburst®, Phase transition, Ractab®, Sintering, Spray
drying, Sublimation, Wowtab®, Ziplet®.
