Pharmaceutical capsules
• Capsules are solid unit dosage forms in which drug substances are enclosed within a hard or soft shell made up of gelatin.
• Capsules are generally of two types:
• Hard gelatin capsules
• Soft gelatin capsules
Advantages of capsules:
• Better bioavailability as compared to tablets.
• Raid release of the drug.
• Easy to manufacture.
• Capsules provide elegance and easy to use.
• A high degree of flexibility to formulation.
• Capsules provide easily swallowed gelatin shell.
• Capsules are beneficial for administration of drugs with unpleasant taste.
• They are economically produced I large quantities.
• Capsules do not require any compaction or compression.
Disadvantages:
• Speed of production of capsules is less as compared to tablets.
• Hard gelatin capsules are costly as compared to tablets.
• Highly soluble salts like potassium chloride, sodium chloride etccan not be dispensed in capsules.
• Hygroscopic and efflorescent substances can not be dispensed in capsules.
• Large and crystal shape powders can not be dispensed in capsules.
• Low melting point ingredients can not be dispensed.
• Materials reactive with gelatin cannot be dispensed.
• Low density and high dose drug cannot be dispensed.
• Problems during stability test occur.
