Effect of formulation solubility and hygroscopicity on disintegrant efficiency in tablets prepared by wet granulation, in terms of dissolution

The effect of tablet formulation solubility and hygroscopicity on the dissolution efficiency of three "super disintegrants" (sodium starch glycolate, crospovidone, and croscarmellose sodium) in tablets prepared by wet granulation was investigated. Lactose, calcium phosphate dibasic, sorbitol, and naproxen sodium, alone or in combination, provided varying degrees of solubility and hygroscopicity in the formulations. To monitor in vitro dissolution, 1% p-aminobenzoic acid was added to the formulation as a tracer. The results indicate that highly soluble and/or hygroscopic ingredients decrease the effectiveness of super disintegrants in promoting in vitro dissolution. The greater the overall hygroscopicity and solubility of the tablet formulation, the larger the decrease in the efficiency of the super disintegrant.