TYPES OF TABLETS

Name: Muhammad Zohaib

SAP ID: 70116396
Session: 2020-2025
Semester: 7th
Section: C
Subject: Industrial Pharmacy

Subject Teacher: Dr. Hafiz Arfat Idrees

FACULTY OF PHARMACY THE UNIVERSITY OF LAHORE

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What is tablet?
Tablets are solid dosage forms that are normally made with the help of appropriate pharmaceutical
excipients. Their size, shape, weight, hardness, thickness, disintegration, and dissolving properties,
among other things, may vary depending on their intended use and production process.
Types of tablets:
(A) Tablets ingested orally:
1. Compressed tablets
2. Multiple compressed tablets
3. Enteric coated tablets
4. Sugar coated tablets
5. Film coated tablets
6. Chewable tablets
(B) Tablets used in the oral cavities:
1. Buccal Tablets
2. Sublingual tablets
3. Lozenges
(C) Tablets administered by other routes:
1. Implantation tablets
2. Vaginal tablets
(D) Tablets used to prepare solutions:
1. Effervescent tablets
2. Dispensing tablets
3. Hypodermic tablets
A. Tablets ingested orally:
1) Compressed tablets:
These compressed tablets don't have any additional coating. They are created from ingredients that
are either alone or in combination with acceptable excipients are powdered, crystalline, or
granular. These tablets contain water-soluble medications, which dissolve in the stomach after
ingestion and are dispersed throughout the body by the gastrointestinal tract.
Examples: Paracetamol table

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 Figure 1 Compressed Tablets

2) Multiple-compressed tablets:
These are compressed tablets made by more than one compression cycle. Such tablets are prepared
by compressing additional tablet granulation on a previously compressed granulation. The
operation may be repeated to produce multilayered tablets of two or three layers. To avoid
incompatibility, the ingredients of the formulation except the incompatible material are
compressed into a tablet and then incompatible substance along with necessary excipients are
compressed over the previously compressed tablet.

Figure 2: Multi-compressed Tablets

3) Sugarcoated tablets:
The sugar coat protects the enclosed drug from the environment and provide a barrier to
objectionable taste or odour. It also produces an elegant, glossy appearance. The patient

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acceptability also increases due to the sweet taste of tablet. Widely utilized in preparing
multivitamin and multivitamin mineral combination.
Example: Multivitamin tablet

Figure 3: Sugarcoated Tablets

4) Film-coated tablets:
The compressed tablets having a film coating of some polymer substance, such as hydroxy propyl
cellulose, hydroxy propyl methyl cellulose and ethyl cellulose. The film coating protects the
medicament from atmospheric effects. Film coated tablets are generally tasteless, having little
increase in the tablet weight and have less elegance than that of sugar-coated tablets.
Example: Metronidazole tablet

Figure 4: Film-coated Tablets

5) Gelatin-coated tablets:
The innovator product, the gel cap is a capsule–shaped compressed tablet that allows the coated
product to be about one–third smaller than a capsule filled with an equivalent amount of powder.

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The gelatin coating facilities swallowing, and gelatin–coated tablets are more tamper evident than
unsealed capsule.

Figure 5: Gelatin-coated Tablets

6) Enteric-coated tablets:
These are compressed tablet meant for administration by swallowing and are designed to by-pass
the stomach and get disintegrated in the intestine only.These tablets are coated with materials
resistant to acidic pH (like cellulose acetate phthalate, CAP) of the gastric fluid but get
disintegrated in the alkaline pH of the intestine.
Example: Enteric coated Bisacodyl tablet

Figure 6: Enteric-coated Tablets

7) Chewable tablets:
Chewable tablets which are required to be broken and chewed in between the teeth before
ingestion. These tablets are given to the children who have difficulty in swallowing and to the
adults who dislike swallowing. These tablets are intended to disintegrate smoothly in mouth at a

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moderate rate either with or without actual chewing. Chewable tablets are often employed when
the active ingredient is intended to act in a localized manner rather than systemically.
Example: Antacid tablet

Figure 7: Chewable Tablets

B. Tablets used in the oral cavities:

1) Buccal and sublingual tablets:

These tablets are to be placed in the side of the cheek (buccal pouch) where they dissolve or erode
slowly and are absorbed directly in the buccal cavity without passing into the alimentary canal.
Therefore, they are formulated and compressed with sufficient pressure to give a hard tablet. e.g.
Progesterone tablets.
Example: Vitamin-c table, Vicks Menthol tablet

Figure 8: Buccal and Sublingual tablets

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2) Lozenges:
These tablets are designed to exert a local effect in the mouth or throat. These tablets are commonly
used to treat sore throat to control coughing in common cold. They may contain local anesthetics,
antiseptics, antibacterial agents and astringents. These are prepared by compression at a high
pressure by the moulding process and generally contain a sweetening agent, flavoring agent and a
substance which roduces a cooling effect. e.g. Vicks lozenges, Strepsils.

Figure 9: Lozenges

C. Tablets administered by other routes:

1) Vaginal tablets:
Vaginal tablets, also called vaginal inserts, are uncoated, bullet-shaped, or ovoid tablets inserted
into the vagina for local effects. They are prepared by compression and shaped to fit snugly on
plastic inserter devices that accompany the product. They contain antibacterial for the treatment of
nonspecific vaginitis caused by Haemophilus vaginalis or antifungals for the treatment of
vulvovaginitis candidiasis caused by Candida albicans and related species.
Example: Clotrimazole table

2) Implantation tablets:
Through a simple surgical procedure, these pills are put subcutaneously or under the skin and are
gradually absorbed. Although they can be created by intense compression, fusion is the more
common method. The implants must be sterile and packaged separately in a sterile environment.
The main purpose of implants is to deliver hormones, such as testosterone steroids for
contraceptive. These tablets are quite beneficial when used for human birth control.

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D. Tablets used to prepare solutions:
1) Effervescent tablets:
Effervescent tablets are prepared by com- pressing granular effervescent salts that release gas when
in contact with water. These tablets generally contain medicinal substances that dissolve rapidly
when added to water. The “bubble action” can assist in breaking up the tablets and enhancing the
dissolution of the active drug.
Example: Dispirin tablet (Aspirin)

Figure 11: Effervescent Tablets

2) Molded tablets:
a. Hypodermic tablets:
These are a particular kind of sterile preparation. In these, tablets are dissolved in sterile water or
WFI prior to injection before the hypodermic cavity. They are designed to be combined with sterile
water in WFI to create a clear solution that will be parenterally injected.
b. Dispensing or soluble tablets:
They are to be added to water or other solvents to make a solution containing a fixed concentration
of API. Should contain no insoluble materials (including Glidants, binders etc.), since they will be
made into clear solution.
Example: Enzyme tablet (Digiplex)

References:
1. Tablets, Ansel’s Pharmaceutical Dosage Forms and Drug Delivery Systems, 10th Edition,
Loyd V. Allen and Howard C. Ansel, Pg# 263-266, August 16, 2021

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2. Lieberman HA, Rieger MM, Banker GS. “Pharmaceutical Dosage Forms: Disperse
System”, vol.3; Second Edition,473-511