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Updated: May 7, 2026

Formation of Dispersible Taohong Siwu Tablets
Published on: February 3, 2023
Application of melt granulation technology to enhance tabletting properties of poorly compactible high-dose drugs
Jay P Lakshman1, James Kowalski, Madhav Vasanthavada
1Pharmaceutical and Analytical Development, Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation, East Hanover, New Jersey 07936. jay.lakshman@novartis.com.
Abstract:
Using metformin HCl as the model drug and hydroxypropylcellulose (HPC) as the polymeric excipient, a melt granulation (MG) process that employs a twin-screw extruder has been developed to enhance compactibility of poorly compactible high-dose drug substances. A high (90%) drug-load tablet formulation, containing 1025 mg of active pharmaceutical ingredients and 109 mg of excipients, was produced. Drug-polymer-powder mixtures were melt granulated at a temperature above glass transition of HPC (130°C) but below melting point of metformin HCl (224°C). MG was compared with modified wet granulation (WG) and solvent granulation (SG) processes. Under identical compression force, the hardness of tablets produced was MG>SG>WG and the friability was MG
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