Advantages and disadvantages of wet granulation

The wet granulation is the traditional process, in which the mixing of powder particles can be done using granulating liquid (Volatile solvent). The granulating liquid contains a volatile solvent that can be removed by drying and they are non-toxic. 

The wet granulation process has three parts such as powder wetting, nucleation, and further nucleation or agglomeration. This method is widely used in pharmaceutical manufacturing to manufacture a solid dosage form. 

The steps involved in the wet granulation are mingling of excipients and API (drug), mixing of powder with binder solution, granular sieving, drying, and sifting of granules. 

Advantages of wet granulation: 

• The major advantage of wet granulation is that it forms granules and is more spherical than the powder, hence has better flow properties, and suitable for different types of dissolution rates.
• The wet granulation process improves the flowability, compressibility, and cohesiveness of the powder, due to which the powder is easily flowing and compressed.
• The method of wet granulation can be used for high-dose pharmaceuticals with weak compressibility that is not affected by moisture and heat.
• The presence of water in the form of moisture can help to improve the dissolution rate of hydrophobic drugs.
• Wet granulation reduces the level of dust present during the manufacturing process as compared with other methods.
• It maintains the same density of all granules since good material uniformity is maintained due to particle segregation prevention.
• Tablets made from a wet granulation process are ideal for tablet coating.

Disadvantages of wet granulation: 

• The major disadvantage of wet granulation is that the presence of moisture can cause a reaction between the drug/drugs and the additive.
• The process is not suitable for compounds and excipients that are moisture-sensitive.
• The dissolution rate of tablets produced by wet granulation may decrease with aging.
• It includes several processing steps compared with other methods.
• It takes more time, energy, space hence it is a costly method as compared with conventional methods.
• To conduct the granulation process, we need an experienced person.
• Wet granulation process requires more equipment and less space than dry granulation.

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