The major difference between powders and granules is that the powder is a mixture of finely divided materials/ chemicals/ drugs in a dry form, whereas the granules are agglomerates of powder material in large, free-flowing particles or a small compact particle of a substance.
Pharmaceutical powders and granules both are the oldest and most commonly used solid dosage forms for medication by the pharmaceutical industry. Granules are often commonly used solid oral dosage formulations consisting, with or without other ingredients or excipients, of dry aggregates of powder particles containing one or more pharmaceutical drugs.
A powder is a solid form fine dry bulk, composed of particles of different sizes, shapes, and flow properties. While the desirable characteristics of being in fine size, but with output limitations such as flow complexity and simultaneous clumping. Hence, granulation is preferred to conquer such issues in pharmaceutical manufacturing.
Here are point-wise mention some differences between the powders and granules:
- The powder is the fine particles to which by grinding, pounding, or crushing substances are reduced, whereas the granule is small grain usually created by first mixing the powders and then moistening the mixture to form a pasty mass then it passes with granulation process.
- The powder can be used for external applications to the skin, whereas granules cannot be applied to the body.
- The powder is smooth to the touch and non-irritating to the skin, while the granules are rough.
- The powder has relatively poor flow properties while the granules flow well and is a good choice for compressing tablets.
- A powder typically comes in the range from 0.1 to 10 microns while grains have larger particle sizes.
- The pharmaceutical powder is physically and chemically less stable in atmospheric conditions such as light, moisture, and temperature, whereas granules are more stable.
- Powder causes dust between handling while grains produce less dust.
- The dissolution rate of powder and granules is higher than that of tablets or capsules as they rapidly disintegrate the active pharmaceutical ingredients (API), however, granules can formulate as a sustained release.
- Powder manufacturing requires fewer and simpler processes while granules have complex processes and need to be exposed to heat and contact with solvents.
Powders vs Granules
Commonly asked questions on dosage forms are as follows.
What is the advantage of the sieving method in particle sizing?
Low investment costs, fast handling, reliable and reproducible results in a comparatively short time, and the ability to isolate the fractions of the particle size are the major advantages of the sieve sieving method.
What are the two types of granulation?
Wet granulation and dry granulation are the processes used to form granules in the pharmaceutical industries.
What is the difference between hard and soft gelatin capsules?
The major difference between hard gelatin and soft gelatin capsules is that the hard gelatin capsules are used for solid filling, while soft gelatin capsules are used for liquid filling.
What are the different types of pharmaceutical tablets?
The tablets can be either coated or uncoated and are classified based on the route of administration and action.
1. Tablets ingested orally: compressed, multiple-compressed, sustained release, enteric-coated, film-coated, sugar-coated, and gelatin-coated
2. Tablets used in the oral cavity: sublingual, buccal, dental cones, lozenges, and torches
3. Tablets administered by other routes: implantation, rectal, and vaginal tablet
4. Tablets used to prepare solutions: effervescent tablets
5. Molded tablets or tablet triturates: dispensing and hypodermic tablets
You may also like this
No comments:
Post a Comment