THE INFLUENCE OF EXCIPIENTS ON PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF TABLETS AND DISSOLUTION OF CAFFEINE

Caffeine is a common component of everyday diet but also a popular ingredient of some analgesics. Before it is administered to a patient, it has to be properly prepared using appropriate procedures to get the suitable drug form with various excipients. The tablets with caffeine were obtained using a wet granulation method. Three groups with four series of tablets were obtained with the constant concentration of caffeine but with different combinations of excipients, including potato starch and lactose, microcrystalline cellulose and lactose and D-mannitol alone. The binder solution of polyvinylpyrrolidone was added in all series of granules used in tabletting but in different quantities. A number of pharmacopoeial tests were conducted to determine the properties of the obtained tablets. All series of tablets positively passed physical tests. More than 80% of caffeine dissolved after 45 min from most series. Only two of 12 series of tablets did not meet pharmacopoeial requirements in a dissolution test. The results of the study indicated that proposed compositions of the tablets are suitable for administration of caffeine in that drug form.