Chrominfo: Advantages and disadvantages of tablet dosage form

Oral dosage forms are generally the most suitable option among different choices. Since medicine via the oral route is one of the best choices for taking. It is a convenient and simple way for any patient (adult, children’s) to take medicine. For several advantages, medicines taken orally are much preferred than other routes.
Tablets and capsules are the most commonly prescribed oral dosage forms by doctors. The tablet is an oral solid dosage form containing a mixture of active pharmaceutical ingredients (API) with or without excipients; it is prepared by either compressed or molded. Of all medicines, the tablet is the most commonly prescribed by doctors because of its many advantages.
Advantages of tablets dosage form:

The major advantage of the tablet is that all medicines are available in the form of a tablet, only except where the preparation or administration is difficult.
Whenever a partial dose of a drug is required, it can be cut or crush into parts is easy, which is not possible in capsules.
No dose measurement is required.
The tablets are convenient to use and elegant.
They can be attractive by making them different in colors.
Compared to other dosage forms, the tablets are inexpensive and are economical for manufacturing, packing, handling, transportation, and storage.
Tablets are generally an inexpensive dose, as its manufacturing process is not complex.
Tablets can be formulated to reduce the use of multiple tablets; by mixing multiple drugs of different doses into a tablet.
The tablet gives a precise dose of medicament to the patient.
It can be coated with sweetening agents to mask the taste and odor of bitter drugs and ingredients.
A wide range of tablet types can available such as variations in color, size, shape, and dosage.
The tablet can be formulated as a fast release of drugs or as a controlled release of drugs.
The tablet is more stable as compared with other dosage forms since it provides prolonged stability to the medicament.

The disadvantage of tablet dosage form:

Atmospheric conditions, such as light, wind, etc. can damage the quality of the tablet; it required to be sealed to protect it.
The tablet cannot manufacture with a mixture of different drugs due to the incompatibility of the drugs, which is possible in a capsule by making granules.
Several drugs resist compression in a dense compact due to the low-density character or amorphous nature, therefore preparing this kind of tablet is complicated.
Those API has poor properties of wetting and slow dissolution, they can be complex or not possible to formulate and manufacturer in the form of a tablet.
To mask the taste and smell of bitter drugs and ingredients, it needs to be coated with sweetening agents, this increases production costs.
The tablets are unsuitable for children and old people because they can't easily take it.
It is also not suitable for patients with vomiting and diarrhea.
Many medicinal products cause gastric pain when administered in the form of a tablet.