EFFECT OF GRANULATION METHODS ON CIPROFLOXACIN FILM COATED TABLETS

Tablet dosage forms remain popular because of the advantages to the patient like accuracy of dosage, compactness, portability, blandness of taste, and ease of administration. Film-coated tablets are compressed tablets that are covered with a thin layer or film of a water-soluble material. Ciprofloxacin, an antibacterial agent, a flouroquinolones derivative was used for this study. In this study, work was done to evaluate the ciprofloxacin film coated tablets prepared by different granulation techniques, wet granulation and dry granulation. Dry granulation was conducted on a press using a chilsonator, which offers a wide range of pressure and roll types to attain proper densification. In wet granulation method, solutions of the binding agent were added to the mixed powders before compression. Tablets prepared by both granulation methods were film coated and evaluated for tablet thickness, tablet weight, friability testing, hardness testing, disintegration and dissolution. Though both the formulations passed all tests for evaluation, tablets prepared by wet granulation method showed better results in hardness test, friability test, disintegration test and dissolution test than the tablets prepared by dry granulation method. Accelarated stability studies, conducted for a period of three months, proved that the tablets prepared by wet granulation method showed better stability than the tablets prepared by dry granulation method. Keywords: Tablet dosage form, film coated tablets, antibiotics, ciprofloxacin, granulation method