Multi components of tablets ( Colorants , Flavoring and sweeteners agent )
1- Sweetening agents:
Sweeteners, which are substances added to tablets during the manufacture of pharmaceutical tablets, are usually added in order to add a sweet taste to the tablets, especially chewable tablets, because they dissolve and are absorbed in the mouth, not like other tablets that are swallowed, dissolved, and absorbed inside the stomach.
Many sweeteners come from diluents such as lactose and mannityl, and they are added to give the sweet taste and palatability while using the tablets.
There are some artificial sweeteners that are added to the tablets during manufacture, such as Saccharine and Aspartame.
Saccharine: it is an artificial sweetener added to tablets and is 400 times sweeter than sucrose, but has an unpleasant after-taste.
Aspartame: It is an artificial sweetener that is added to tablets as a diluent and is 180 times stronger than sucrose, but is not stable in the presence of heat and moisture.
2- Flavoring agents:
Flavoring agents are usually added in chewable tablets or tablets that dissolve in the mouth, but they are used with limits, given that they are sensitive to heat, evaporation, and humidity. Therefore, they are added before the drying or compression process, but they are considered weak in stability. Therefore, flavored oils are added to the tablets, and they are added at a very low rate of 0.5% ,So as not to negatively affect the properties of the tablets.
3- Colorants agents:
Coloring agents are added to the tablets to enhance and identify patient compliance. They are usually added during the coating process, but sometimes they are added before the compaction process. Tablets and colorants are added as soluble dye (wet granulation process) or insoluble powder (direct compression).
Conditions that must be adhered to when adding coloring agents to tablets:
1- The percentage of coloring agents added to the tablets should not exceed 0.05%.
2- The coloring agents are safe and approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Coloring agents may include:
- Dyes
- Natural colors
- Lakes
- Non- absorbable polymers
- Non- degradable