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Whether oral solid dosage pharmaceuticals, drug delivery systems or diagnostic and medical devices, many healthcare products are susceptible to degradation and stability issues.
Colorcon is a leading specialist in controlled atmosphere packaging with indepth knowledge of moisture, oxygen and odor management inside healthcare packaging. Contact us for more details on which solution is the most suitable for your specific needs.
Effervescent tablets are designed to dissolve in water before being ingested. They typically contain active ingredients, such as vitamins, minerals, pain relievers, or other therapeutic substances, which are released as the tablet fizzes and dissolves in water. They are made by the compression of component ingredients and are, in most cases, somewhat larger than regular pills. To protect them from environmental influences and potential damage in use, special types of packaging are typically used, with plastic tubes and desiccant stoppers being the gold standard across the healthcare industry.
Effervescent tablets rely on an agent capable of releasing CO2 (sodium carbonate and/or sodium bicarbonate) which is then converted into the salt form during the dissolution process. Their ease of use for consumers and the often included flavor, such as citrus fruit extracts, make them popular. They remain a popular method for the administration of vitamins, cold relief medication through to more potent drugs.
Perhaps the main benefit of this type of formulation is its ability to dissolve completely and evenly. This makes the medicine easier to take and minimizes the risk of damage to the lining of the gastrointestinal tract. They promote increased liquid intake which is good for the body and provides the patient with an easy to handle and take dosage form.
This type of tablet also presents challenges. Transportation and packaging are commonly the biggest source of issues and should be selected with great care in order to avoid any type of damage to the fragile product. Breakage is a substantial problem, especially with blister packaging. For a time, glass and metal tubes were also in use to try minimizing damage to the tablets. However, with the expansion of the global market and increasing distances that medications travel before reaching the end user, these have proven both cumbersome and expensive. New approaches from Colorcon comprise slim, rigid plastic tubes coupled with an innovative stopper design to protect the product from shock, greatly reducing tablet breakage as products are shipped and stored. These tubes and stoppers have been optimized to maximize protection while minimizing the amount of material used in production.
Since effervescent tablets are by their very nature designed to dissolve in water, any moisture ingress can ruin an entire tube of product. Water can render the active sodium carbonates useless and may also cause welling, crumbling, even mold and mildew. Colorcon desiccant stoppers adsorb moisture before it can attack the sensitive effervescent tablets and powders. Tubes and stoppers are also specifically designed to create tight seals, minimizing the amount of moisture that can enter through the closure to begin with.
Plastic tubes & desiccant stoppers have shown to be the optimal packaging for effervescent tablets. Rigid, yet light plastic tubes extend brand equity and are perfectly suited for automated filling lines. Colorcon offers them in combination with desiccant stoppers that are easily inserted during the packaging process, keeping delivery times consistent.
The control of MVTR (Moisture Vapor Transmission Rate) can be achieved in a number of different ways, depending on the customers’ application needs. Tamper evident, spiral or half-spiral, easy-opening, or flip-top stoppers can easily be incorporated into the design and are suitable y for effervescent tablets as well as chewable tablets and lozenges.
Incorporating industry standards (GMP and ISO 15378), our experts develop new concepts and adapt them to the requirements of individual pharmaceutical manufacturer needs. We are committed to packaging integrity testing and maintaining the highest degree of durability. Easy, timely delivery and prolonged shelf-life remain of paramount importance throughout.
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