Doctor of Pharmacy

10/07/2026

Defects Of Tablet Coating
Tablet coating defects or problems observed during tablet coating is a very important topic & in this article we will discuss all possible defects which may occur during tablet coating.
We will also discuss why these defects occur and what is the possible solution to solve these defects or problems.
One important note is that this article is written on the basis of practical observations so you will find an actual concept after reading this article.

First of all we enlist possible problem and these are as follow,

Tablet Sticking & Picking
Twinning Of Tablets
Pitted Surface
Tablet Chipping
Weight Gain Problem
Color Variation
Color Migration
Orange Peel Effect
Logo Filling
Bridging

Before going into details of these defects one main important thing to remember is that smooth coating process is based on synchronization of different coating parameters like
Spray Rate
Drying Temperate
Pan Rotation Speed
Atomization Air Pressure
Tablet Bed Temperature
Spray Guns To Tablet Distance

You can read details of above parameters in the following article...
https://www.pharmainform.com/2023/05/tablet-coating-defects-and-remedies.html

08/07/2026

👉Why we Use 70% IPA for Disinfection?
👉Why 100% IPA is not effective to kill microbes?
👉How to prepare 70% IPA?
👉Mechanism Of Killing Microbes?
👉Role of water along with IPA for disinfection?

Read all these in following
👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇

100 % IPA does not kill microbes instead it coagulates the outer proteins rapidly which prevents further pe*******on of IPA

07/07/2026

Hi
I hope you would love to read.
Ever wondered why some tablets have two distinct layers? It's not just for looks. it's how formulators keep incompatible APIs apart in the same tablet, or combine an immediate-release layer with a controlled-release one. Simple idea, but it takes real precision to pull off on the manufacturing floor. Dive in below 👇

Double layer tablets are compressed for those APIs which are not compatible with each other or where different release patteren are required.

06/07/2026

Why Do We Use Three Batches For Validation?

In this article we will discuss the answer of a very common question which arises in the minds of all professionals dealing with the processes which require validation.

The question is,
"Why do we use 3 batches for validation?
Before the answer of the above question first we should be aware of validation.

What is Validation?
Validation is documented evidence that ensures that a process or procedure consistently produces a product with the same quality standards.

Validation has a great importance in pharmaceutical industries because for every product manufacturing we conduct a validation activity.

This process validation gives us assurety that by using the defined process we can consistently get the same quality product.
Read more
Validation and types of validation

Basic Concept
The conventional practice or basic concept regarding validation is that we should always take 3 batches for validation and if all the 3 batches meet the requirements then we can start commercial scale production.

Now the question is that is there any regulatory requirements for 3 batches?
Or
Why do we take only 3 batches, not 1,2 or 4?
The answer to the first question is that there are no guidelines for the 3 batches concept,even FDA,ISO have not specified the 3 batches concept.

"FDA guidelines for industry on process validation general principles and practices" does not talk about the 3 batches concept and it also does not specify the number of batches.

Actually the number of batches for validation depends on the risk involved.
The pharmaceutical industries have to decide the number of batches required for manufacturing.
The main purpose for selecting the number of batches is to support the statistical data.
The product for which we have less data we will have to perform validation on more batches.

Justification for 3 Batches.
The traditional justification behind the selection of 3 batches is that during manufacturing of 1st batch quality may be built in the....

Read complete article in the following
https://www.pharmainform.com/2021/06/why-do-we-use-three-batches-for-validation.html

06/07/2026

Alu Alu VS Alu PVC Blister Packaging

Pharmaceutical packaging is necessary for dosage form protection and transportation. In this article, we will discuss the basic difference between the Alu Alu and Alu PVC packaging, which is used for the packaging of tablets and capsules in pharmaceutical industries.

Meaning
Alu Alu stands for Aluminium Aluminium.
Alu PVC stands for Aluminium Polyvinyl chloride.

Structure
As the name indicates, the Alu Alu means, it consists of two Aluminium foils. One Aluminium foil is used as cavity forming foil, and the other printed aluminium foil is used as lidding foil or covering foil.
In Alu PVC, the printed aluminium foil is used as lidding foil and rigid PVC foil is used as cavity forming foil.

Protection
Alu Alu packaging has a good barrier for moisture, light, UV and oxygen.
Alu PVC has less protection than Alu Alu.

Appearance
In Alu Alu blister packaging, the product is hidden and not visible.
Alu PVC blister packaging is transparent, and the product is visible in the packaging.

Products
The Alu Alu blister packaging is used for those products which are sensitive to moisture, heat and require more protection, like antibiotics.
Alu PVC blister packaging is used for less sensitive products like painkillers.

Cost
The Alu Alu packaging is costly.
The Alu PVC blister packaging is less costly than Alu Alu.

Mechanism
In Alu Alu blister packaging, the pockets or cavities are...

Read complete article in the following

Here we will discuss the difference between Alu Alu & Alu PVC blister packaging, which is used for the packaging of tablets and capsules.

05/07/2026

Tablet formulation design is a critical job which requires extensive knowledge of the excipients and active pharmaceutical ingredients which are used for tabet manufacturing.
A formulator must have knowledge of the manufacturing process and must be equipped with the skills to troubleshoot the problems which are encountered during the manufacturing of the tablet batches.
How to design or develop a basic formulation for tablets is the most frequently asked question?
In this article we will learn briefly about the key points which must be remembered during the table formulation and we will learn how we can design a basic formulation for any tablet batch & how we can add further improvements in the formula to overcome all the issues related to the tablets specifications.
First of all you must have a brief overview of all the excipients which are used in the tablet manufacturing and then we will try to design a simple formulation. The formulation design will be as simple as any one one can design a basic formulation for tablets and can improve it depending on the quality control results.
The basic aim of this article is to make everyone skillful to develop or design a prototype formulation of tablets.
Following classes of excipients are used for the tablet manufacturing,
Diluents
Binders
Disintegrants
Lubricants
Glidants
Colourants

Diluent
Diluents are also known as bulking agents or filler and are those materials or excipients which are used to make up the final bulk volume.

Examples
The common examples of the diluents are lactose, dextrose, mannitol and starch.

Disintegrants
Disintegrants are added in the tablet formulation and these are the excipients which facilitate the breakdown of the tablet into small fragments and help to release drugs.
Apart from conventional disintegrants which are required in high quantities the advanced type of disintegrants are known as super disintegrants which give the same effect in less quantity.

Examples
Commonly used disintegrants are starch,clay and super...

Read complete article in the following
https://www.pharmainform.com/2024/09/how-to-design-a-tablet-formulation.html

05/07/2026

How Many Stages Of Disintegration?
There are two stages of disintegration L1 & L2. L2 is performed if L1 is failed.

How Many Tablets or Capsules Are Used For Disintegration?
The disintegration test is performed for 6 tablets in the L1 stage & for the L2 stage we perform the test for 12 tablets in 2 turns.

What Is the Acceptance Criteria for a Disintegration Test?
For the L1 stage, all tablets should disintegrate within the time specified in individual monographs & if one or more tablets fail to disintegrate then we repeat the test with 12 tablets & 16 out of 18 (L1+L2) should disintegrate within the specified period.

Why Do We Use Discs In Disintegration Tests?
The disc is used to prevent floating.

Dissolution Test Interview Questions
The following are commonly asked interview questions related to Dissolution.

What Is a Dissolution Test?
Dissolution is a chemical test that is performed for various dosage forms to check that the active pharmaceutical ingredient or ingredients are released properly & dissolved in liquid media from a dosage form or not according to the defined time limits.

Why Do We Perform Dissolution Tests?
To ensure that API/APIs are properly released & available for absorption.

How is the Dissolution Test performed?
The dissolution test is performed using a defined dissolution apparatus in which dosage form is dissolved in a medium at a specified temperature & samples are tested using HPLC or Ultraviolet-Visible Spectroscopy.

USP Apparatus For Dissolution?
07 apparatus are used for dissolution test according to USP and names are given below,

Basket Apparatus
Paddle Apparatus
Reciprocating Cylinder
Flow Through Cell
Paddle Over Disc
Rotating Cylinder
Reciprocating Holder

What Is Q Value In Dissolution?
Q in dissolution represents the amount of API dissolved in a specified period. It is mentioned as a percentage of the label claim.

How Many Dissolution Stages?
There are 3 stages for dissolution testing for immediate-release tablets given below,

Stage 1 (S1)
Stage 2 (S2)
Stage 3 (S3)

Acceptance Criteria For Dissolution?
Acceptance Criteria for dissolution is divided depending on the type of dosage form & are given below,

Acceptance Criteria For Immediate Release
Acceptance Criteria For Pooled Samples Of Immediate Release.
Acceptance Criteria For Extended Release
Acceptance Criteria For Delayed Release

Dissolution Acceptance Criteria For Immediate Release...

Read more...

Quality control interview questions which are commonly asked during QC interview are mentioned here with detailed answers

04/07/2026

Components Of Tablet Coating Suspension|Formulation of tablet coating

Tablet coating is a process in which a thin layer of polymer is deposited over a core tablet and the weight gain of the film may vary from 1-5 % for film coating to 10-12% for enteric coating.
Sugarcoating is also a type of coating but in sugar coating instead of a polymer layer, we use a sucrose solution to form a layer of sugar over tlhe core tablets.
All of us are very well familiar with basic types of tablet coating which are as follow,

Sugarcoating
Film coating
Enteric coating

Sugarcoating
Sugarcoating is a type of tablet coating in which a layer of sucrose or sugar is deposited over the core tablet.
Sugarcoating is a multistage process and tablet weight may be increased up to 50-80% after coating.

Sugar coating process and stages.

Film coating
Film coating is an immediate release coating.
Film coating is a single-stage coating process.
Film coating is a type of tablet coating in which a polymer is used to form a layer over the tablet.
In film coating concentration of polymer and other solid contents used is 1-5% so the weight of the tablet is not increased as much as in the case of sugar coating.
Film coating is done to protect the product from temperature, humidity etc and to mask the taste.

Enteric coating
Enteric coating is a type of coating which is used to protect the drugs which are degraded by the stomach acid.
In this type of coating, a layer of polymer is deposited over the core tablet but the solubility of this polymer is pH-dependent so we use polymers that do not dissolve in an acidic environment but in the small intestine.

Coating Suspension
To deposit the layer of polymer over the tablet core we prepare a suspension or dispersion of polymers and other excipients.
In this article, we will discuss different components of tablet coating which are as follow,

Polymer/Filmformer
Solvent
Plasticizer
Colourants
Opaquants
Miscellaneous

Polymer/Filmformer
Film former or polymer is the main component of the coating suspension.
Polymer is the ingredient that makes a film over a tablet so it is of great importance.
Polymer is divided...

Read complete article in the following
https://www.pharmainform.com/2021/04/components-of-tablet-coating-suspensionformulation-of-tablet-coating.html

04/07/2026

Why We Only Measure 0.5 and 5.0 micron Particles In Cleanrooms.

Particle count measurement in clean rooms plays an important role to maintain the cleanliness level of cleanrooms. Particle count in any cleanroom is measured by the particle counter which gives us a value after air filtration & monitoring.
Particle count measurement in the cleanrooms is recommended by the various regulatory bodies and different guidelines like ISO, GMP etc.

Common Practice
It is common practice that we measure only 0.5 and 5.0-micron particles in cleanrooms but a commonly asked question is why only we select 0.5 and 5.0 microns measurement?
What about less than 0.5 microns and more than 5.0 microns?
Before going to the details of the above questions first have a look over some basic facts about cleanrooms and types of particles.

Why Cleanrooms?
Cleanrooms are established in pharmaceutical industries to perform various manufacturing, filling and dispensing activities. What is a cleanroom?
A cleanroom is a room having a controlled number of viable and non-viable particles.

Read Details of cleanrooms in following,

Cleanroom classification in pharmaceutical industries.

Types Of Particles In Cleanrooms
There are two types of particles which are measured in cleanrooms
and are given below,

Viable Particles
Non Viable Particles

What Is Viable Particle Count?
The process of counting the number of living microorganisms in a clean room is known as viable particle count. Viable particles are generated by the personnel working in the clean rooms.
Viable particles are not able to move from one place to another place.

How To Measure Viable Count?
The viable count is usually measured by the settle plate method & by using an air sampler having a media plate attached.

Example Of Viable Particles
Bacteria

What Is Non-Viable Particle Count?
Non-viable particles are....

Read complete article in the following
https://www.pharmainform.com/2022/06/why-we-only-measure-0-5-and-5-0-micron-particles-in-cleanrooms.html

04/07/2026

Fluid bed dryers are used in pharmaceutical industries for drying of wet granules.If you are not aware of basic structure and functioning of FBD then must read the following article because in this article we will not go into details of FBD construction or its working.

After reading the above article you are now familiar that a cloth filter bag or SS filters are used in FBD.
The purpose of these filters is to allow the escape of air without product loss.

Why Finger Shape
Did you ever think that why only finger shape or pocket type cloth filters are used in fluid bed dryer?
Why we don't use straight or curved Shape cloth filter in FBD?

Note
Finger shape cloth filters are also known as candle filters of fluid bed dryer.

Reasons
Following are the main reasons due to which we don't use straight or curved shape filters & only we use finger shape cloth filters.

Surface Area
We are familiar that drying chamber of FBD has a specified height & if we use straight or curved shape cloth filters in FBD the drying area will be reduced.
Due to reduced drying area the fluidisation height will be reduced & drying time will be increased.
Due to finger or pocket type construction, the surface area inside drying chamber is increased & due to increased...

Read complete article in the following
https://www.pharmainform.com/2024/02/finger-bag-filter-of-fbd.html