A Study of Compressibility of the Directly Compacting Form of Lactitol

Overview

Lactitol ranks among sugar alcohols which are employed as dry binders in the manufacture oftablets, particularly the chewable ones.Water-granulated lactitol is the directly compacting form ofthis substance. The present paper studies the compressibility of the granulated form of lactitol andthe effects of different concentrations of the lubricant magnesium stearate on the strength anddisintegration time of the compacts from his substance. Lactitol cannot be compressed without anadded lubricant. Magnesium stearate, employed in two concentrations, 0.4 % and 0.8 %, did notnegatively interfere with the strength of the compacts. The disintegration period of tablets wasprolonged with increasing stearate concentration, but independently of compression force.

Key words:
direct compacting – lactitol – magnesium stearate – tensile strength of tablets –disintegration time of tablets