Disintegrant properties of an agglomerated cellulose powder

Abstract The disintegrant efficiency and the mechanism of disintegrant action of an agglomerated cellulose powder were evaluated and compared to those of microcrystalline celluloses, Avicel PH 101 and Emcocel, and cross-linked sodium carboxymethylcellulose AcDiSol. Water penetration and tablet expansion rates of dicalcium phosphate tablets containing agglomerated cellulose were similar to those of tablets containing microcrystalline celluloses. The total water uptake and maximum tablet expansion were, however, greater for tablets containing agglomerated cellulose, although not as much as those of tablets containing cross-linked sodium carboxymethylcellulose. Possible explanations for greater expansion of tablets containing agglomerated cellulose compared to tablets containing microcrystalline celluloses are a more pronounced disrupting effect of water on the hydrogen bonds between cellulose particles and an expansion of deformed agglomerated cellulose particles. The maximum expansion of tablets, related to the development of the maximum disintegration force inside a tablet, correlated well with the disintegration time of tablets. The agglomerated cellulose powder was clearly more effective as a disintegrant in an insoluble tablet base than microcrystalline celluloses; however it was not as effective as strongly swelling sodium carboxymethylcellulose.