Factors affecting tablet disintegration.

A 4 x 4 x 3 x 2 factorial experiment was run to determine the effects of disintegrating agents, lubricants, binders, and hardness on tablet disintegration. A single tablet filler, starch-lactose equal parts, was used. Tablets were found to disintegrate equally rapidly with or without disintegrating agent, thus allowing no comparison between disintegrating agents. Binders, lubricants, and hardness were found to differ in their effects on disintegration, and these factors are discussed. One two-factor interaction was found and shown to be due to a greater effect of hardness on tablets made with gelatin binder.