Coating Defects

By
Abu Kayes
TABLET COATING
Tablet coating is defined as covering the tablets
with one or more layers of mixture of film forming
agents, inactive and insoluble filler, sugar,
plasticizer, polyhydric alcohol ,waxes , authorized
color and some times flavor .

Why We Coat?
To protect the tablet from its environment
To mask taste/odor/color
Avoid irritation of stomach
Improve drug stability
Improve product identity
To modify bioavailability (controlled release,
enteric coated)
Components
FILM FORMING AGENT
PLASTICIZERS - LOW MOLECULAR
WEIGHT ORGANIC MOLECULES, CAPABLE
OF MODIFYING THE PHYSICAL
PROPERTIES OF A POLYMER
PIGMENTS DYES
ANTI-TACKING AGENT

Tablet Coating Defects
An ideal coated tablet should be free from
any visual defect or functional defect. But
some imperfections are seen in the tablet
coating for different kinds of reasons.
The imperfections found in tablets coating
are known as tablet coating defects.
Picking and Sticking
It is defect where isolated areas of film are pulled away from
the surface when the tablet sticks together and then part.
Picking does not occur alone it must have another tablet to
be stuck with which called sticking .

Reason:
Over-wetting or excessive film tackiness causes tablets to
stick to each other or to the coating pan.

Remedy:
A reduction in the liquid application rate or
Increase in the drying air temperature and air volume
usually solves this problem.

Picking and Sticking
Bridging
This occurs when the coating materials fills the letter or
logo on the tablet. This defect can be so severe that
the monogram or bisect is completely obscured.

Reason:
Improper application of the solution
Poor design of the tablet embossing
High coating viscosity
High percentage of solids in the solution

Remedy: Increasing the plasticizer content or changing
the plasticizer can decrease the incidence of bridging.

Bridging
Color Variation

The migration of soluble dyes, plasticizers and other additives during
drying may give the coating a mottled or spotted appearance.

Reason :
This problem can be caused by
processing conditions or the formulation.
Improper mixing,
uneven spray pattern and
insufficient coating

REMEDY:
The use of lake dyes eliminates dye migration.
A reformulation with different plasticizers and additives is the best
way to solve film instabilities caused by the ingredients.
Color Variation
Orange Peel
This refers to a coating texture that resembles the
surface of an orange.

Reason:
Inadequate spreading of the coating solution
before drying
It is usually the result of high atomization pressure
in combination with spray rates that are too high.

REMEDY: Thinning the solution with additional
solvent may correct this problem.
Orange Peel
Twinning
This is the term for two tablets that stick
together, and its a common problem with
capsule shaped tablets.
Cause
Coating suspension can not be evaporated.
Remedy:
Solve this problem by balancing the pan speed and
spray rate. Try reducing the spray rate or increasing
the pan speed.




Twinning
Cracking
Small, fine cracks observed on the upper and lower central
surface of tablets, or very rarely on the sidewall are
referred to as Cracks.

Cause
Use of higher molecular weight polymers or polymeric blends
Higher internal stresses in the film ( more than tensile
strength of the film )

Remedy
Use low molecular weight polymer
Adjust the plasticizer & pigment types and concentration to
minimize internal stresses


Cracking
EROSION
This can be the result
Over-wetted tablet surface
Inadequate drying
Lack of tablet surface strength
Remedy
Control drying rate & temperature