Polymer-coated tablets

Definition

Polymer-coated tablets are pharmaceutical dosage forms that have an outer layer made of polymers, which serve to protect the active ingredients, control drug release, and enhance stability. These coatings can provide various functionalities, such as taste masking, extended-release profiles, and protection against environmental factors, making them essential in drug formulation and delivery.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Polymer-coated tablets can significantly improve the bioavailability of drugs by ensuring they are released at the optimal site in the gastrointestinal tract.
2. Different polymers can be used in coatings, each with unique properties that can affect drug release rates and overall tablet performance.
3. The use of polymer coatings helps protect sensitive drugs from moisture and oxygen, prolonging shelf life and maintaining potency.
4. Polymer coatings can also be designed to provide a delayed-release mechanism, allowing medications to be released after passing through the stomach.
5. The choice of polymer and its application technique can impact the tablet's texture and appearance, influencing patient compliance and acceptance.

Review Questions

• How do polymer-coated tablets enhance drug stability and bioavailability?
  • Polymer-coated tablets enhance drug stability by providing a protective barrier against moisture and oxygen, which can degrade sensitive active ingredients. This coating ensures that drugs maintain their potency over time. Additionally, by controlling the release of the drug at specific sites in the gastrointestinal tract, these tablets can improve bioavailability, allowing for more effective absorption into the bloodstream.
• Discuss the advantages of using enteric coatings on polymer-coated tablets compared to standard coatings.
  • Enteric coatings provide significant advantages for medications that may irritate the stomach or are destroyed by gastric acid. By preventing dissolution in the acidic environment of the stomach, enteric-coated polymer tablets ensure that the active ingredients reach the intestines where they can be released effectively. This targeted delivery not only enhances patient comfort but also improves drug efficacy by protecting sensitive compounds from degradation.
• Evaluate the role of different polymers in designing controlled release formulations for polymer-coated tablets.
  • Different polymers play a critical role in determining the release profile of drugs in controlled release formulations. By selecting specific polymers with varying degrees of solubility and swelling properties, formulators can manipulate how quickly or slowly a drug is released from the tablet. For instance, hydrophilic polymers may facilitate quicker drug release while hydrophobic polymers may slow it down. This tailoring of release characteristics is vital for optimizing therapeutic outcomes and ensuring consistent drug levels in circulation over extended periods.

Related terms

Enteric coating: A type of polymer coating that prevents the tablet from dissolving in the stomach but allows it to disintegrate in the more neutral pH of the intestines.

Controlled release: A drug delivery system designed to release a medication in a controlled manner over an extended period, often achieved through specific polymer formulations.

Film coating: A thin layer of polymer applied to tablets to improve their appearance, stability, and performance by controlling the release of the active ingredient.