Brunon Woyczikowski, Marcin Płaczek, Renata Marszk

Sporządzanie proszków recepturowych w kapsułkach żelatynowych
2006-08-01

Preparation of magistral powders in gelatin capsules. Besides tablets, capsules are the most popular solid dosage form of oral drugs. They are a kind of a container, mainly for powders, prepared not only in industry, but also in pharmacies. In modern compounding of drugs, the gelatin capsules are used, which in contradiction to starch ones have better physicochemical properties, are more resistant to crushing and because of the elongated shape, can be easily swallowed. The dosage of powders into empty gelatin capsules by means of a special, handy capsule-filling machine is very simple and accurate even though does not require the use of a balance. Unfortunately, in Polish pharmacies still old, time-consuming method of dividing powders to starch capsules is in wide use and this is why, the main aim of this paper is to stimulate pharmacists (mainly from hospital pharmacies, which prepare large numbers of capsules on a daily routine) to enjoy encapsulators. The preponderance of the method using gelatin capsules in powders compounding was supported by several tests: uniformity of mass of powders, their hygroscopicity and measurement of time required for preparation of capsules.