Development of a stable sublingual nitroglycerin tablet II: formulation and evaluation of tablets containing povidone

Stable and pharmaceutically elegant sublingual nitroglycerin tablets were formulated using povidone to retard volatilization of the drug. Formulation and processing variables were investigated to produce an acceptable product. A blend of two grades of povidone, of different degrees of cross-linkage and water solubility, provided stable tablets which exhibited rapid disintegration. Directly compressed sublingual tablets made in this study retained over 80% of the initial nitroglycerin when exposed to the atmosphere at room temperature for 2 months. The direct compression tablets are of good appearance and low friability, and the formulation is readily compressed without problems. An interesting relationship among the hardness, disintegration time, and compaction pressure is described.