Disintegrants

Disintegrants are substances or mixtures added to pharmaceutical formulations to promote the breakup of the tablet or capsule content into smaller particles that dissolve more rapidly than in the absence of disintegrants.

Pronunciation

The term "Disintegrants" is pronounced as /dɪsˈɪntɪɡrənts/.

Etymology

The term "Disintegrants" is derived from the Latin words "dis-", meaning "apart", and "integrare", meaning "to make whole".

Types of Disintegrants

There are several types of disintegrants used in pharmaceutical formulations. Some of the most common ones include:

• Starch: Starch is one of the oldest disintegrants used in tablet formulations. It swells in contact with water, causing the tablet to break apart.

• Cellulose: Cellulose-based disintegrants, such as Croscarmellose sodium, Sodium starch glycolate, and Microcrystalline cellulose, are commonly used in modern pharmaceutical formulations.

• Alginates: Alginates are polysaccharides derived from seaweed. They are used as disintegrants due to their ability to swell in water.

• Polacrilin Potassium: Polacrilin potassium is a weakly acidic cation exchange resin. It is used as a disintegrant in pharmaceutical formulations due to its ability to rapidly absorb water.

Related Terms

• Pharmaceutical formulation
• Starch
• Cellulose
• Alginates
• Polacrilin Potassium

See Also

• Excipient
• Tablet (pharmacy)
• Capsule (pharmacy)

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