Chrominfo: Advantages and disadvantages of tablets

The tablet is the most commonly prescribed solid dosage forms. Generally, it is intended for oral routes of administration. It is prepared by compressing powdered active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) with different excipients. The table is a flat, rounded in shape and differs in shape, size, and weight depending on the drugs used to prepare. Tablets usually contain flavoring agents, coloring agents, lubricants, diluent, filler, disintegrants, binder, anti-adherent, and some other excipients. Tablets are the most broadly used solid dosage forms due to the increasing advantages and popularity day by day.

Advantages of tablets:

The major advantages of tablets have dose accuracy, stable dose, high precision, and lowest variability.
Tablets are cheaper than other dosage forms and are economical for packaging, transport, and storage.
It is easy to swallow, and in some cases, it can easily dissolve in water for feeding for children.
It is providing protection of drugs (API) from atmospheric conditions such as moisture, air, and light, etc.
Sugarcoating the tablet masks the unpleasant taste and smell of the drugs, hence it can be simply administered.
Tablets have a low production cost and mass production is possible as compared to the other dosage forms (capsule, liquid), as it is easier to prepare.
Tablets can provide flexibility in dosage form by creating a special release product such as a delayed-release, sustained release, and a rapidly dissolving tablet.
Whenever a partial dose is required, it is easy to divide into parts, which is not possible in capsules.
Tablets are most stable in chemical, physical, and microbiological properties.
It does not harm the gastrointestinal tract, as it easily and quickly digested.
Administration of the minute dose of the medicine is possible because it provides the exact amount.
Tablets can be attractive as they vary in color.
As compared to liquid dosage form, it does not require much space for storage, and the production, packing, and handling is cheaper.

Disadvantages of tablets:

The major disadvantage of a tablet is that it is difficult to swallow, especially for children, sick, and unconscious patients.
Low density and amorphous APIs are difficult to compress in the tablet punching machine.
Drugs that are hygroscopic in nature are not suitable for compressed tablets.
Certain types of pills can cause problems in bio-availability.
Oxygen-sensitive drugs require special coating.
Drugs that have poor or low solubility in water, slow dissolution rates, and high absorption in the gastrointestinal tract may make them difficult to formulate.
Production costs can increase due to the coating and encapsulation of the tablet.
Sometimes due to unpleasant taste and odor, patients experience discomfort and avoid swallowing.
The manufacturing of tablets in the pharmaceutical industry requires complex and expensive machines.
Some medicines cause gastric irritation while administered in tablet form.
There is an unlimited amount of a unique mix of ingredients that can only be placed in capsules, not tablets.