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Tuesday, October 6, 2009

Softgel

A typical softgelA softgel is an oral dosage form for medicine similar to capsules. They consist of a gelatin based shell surrounding a liquid fill. Softgel shells are a combination of gelatin, water, and a plasticiser such as glycerin and/or sorbitol(s).

Softgels are produced in a process known as encapsulation using the Rotary Die Encapsulation process invented by Robert Pauli Scherer. The encapsulation process has been described as a form/fill/seal process. Two flat ribbons of shell material are manufactured on the machine and brought together on a twin set of rotating dies. The dies contain recesses in the desired size and shape, which cut out the ribbons into a two dimensional shape, and form a seal around the outside. Concomitantly, a dosing pump delivers a precise dose of fill material down through a nozzle incorporated into a filling wedge whose tip sits between the two ribbons in between two die pockets at the point of cut out. The wedge is heated to facilitate the sealing process. The wedge injection causes the two flat ribbons to expand into the die pockets, giving rise to the 3 dimensional finished product. After encapsulation, the softgels are dried for 2 days to 2 weeks depending on the product.

In recent years, manufacturers have been able to replace gelatin in the shell with other polymers based on, for example, starch and carrageenan.
Advil Liqui-Gels
It has been suggested that this section be split into a new article entitled Advil Liqui-Gels. (Discuss)

Advil Liqui-Gels are composed of a Gelatin outer casing filled with solubilized ibuprofen.[2] Ibuprofen normally is in a crystallized form that is grown 2 times and wet granulated to for the base material. The crystalline structure is one reason certain people my have reactions to Ibuprofen products.

The patent for solubilization of Ibuprofen in softgels was granted to the RPScherer Corporation (technology now owned by Catalent Pharma Solutions).[3]. The concept behind the invention was that Ibuprofen, being poorly soluble in water, takes time to dissolve in the stomach. The Advil Liquigel formulation provides the Ibuprofen in a solution, which reduces the time it takes for the body to absorb the drug. This is particularly beneficial for patients with occasional headaches or migraines, but less useful, perhaps, in patients with continuous, ongoing pain. The same rapid onset can be achieved in an oral solution (or syrup) but the softgel dosage form is more convenient.

Catalent Pharma Solutions is the current owner of the RPScherer technology [1].
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