Capsule

A pharmaceutical capsule is an easy way to take medication. Capsules may contain powder, liquid or oil. The outer shell is made of hard or soft gelatin. Capsules come in different shapes and colors to identify dose or what company made them. They are also available as timed release which work over a period of time. Capsules should usually be taken whole. Always consult a pharmacist or desk reference before opening a capsule. Capsules should also not be crushed without first checking to see if it is safe.

Capsules used for medicine

Cod liver oil soft gel capsules

References

INFORMATION ABOUT SOFT GELATIN CAPSULE

Soft gelatin capsules, also known as softgels or soft elastic capsules, are hermetically sealed one-piece capsules containing a liquid or a semisolid fill without a bubble of air or gas. They are made from a more flexible, gelatin film plasticized by the addition of glycerine, sorbitol, .

As with hard gelatin capsules, soft gelatin capsules are predominantly administered orally. Some can be formulated and manufactured to produce a number of different drug delivery systems such as

a.    Chewable softgels where a highly-flavoured shell is chewed to release the drug liquid fill matrix

b.    Suckable softgels which consist of a gelatin shell containing the flavoured medicament to be sucked and a liquid matrix (or just air inside the capsule)

c.    Twist-off softgels which are designed with a tag to be twisted or snipped off, thereby allowing access to the fill material and

d.    Meltable softgels designed for use as pessaries or suppositories.

References

·        Allen L. and Ansel H. (2014). Ansel’s Pharmaceutical Dosage Forms and Drug Delivery Systems. Philadelphia: Lipincott Williams and Wilkins.

·        Augsburger, L and Hoag, S. (2018). Pharmaceutical Dosage Forms: Capsules. New York: Taylor & Francis Group.

·        Aulton, M. and Taylor, K. (2013). Aulton’s Pharmaceutics: The Design and Manufacture of Medicines, (4^th ed.). Edinburgh: Churchill Livingstone.

·        Dash, A., Singh, S. and Tolman, J. (2014). Pharmaceutics – Basic Principles and Application to Pharmacy Practice. USA: Academic Press.

·        Felton, L. (2012). Remington Essentials of Pharmaceutics. UK: Pharmaceutical press.

·        Ghosh, T. and Jasti, B. (2005). Theory and Practice of Contemporary Pharmaceutics. USA: CRC Press LLC.

·        Gibson, M. (2009). Pharmaceutical Preformulation and Formulation: A Practical Guide from Candidate Drug Selection to Commercial Dosage Form. New York: Taylor & Francis Group.

·        Hoag, S. (2017). Capsules Dosage Form: Formulation and Manufacturing Considerations. In Y. Qui, Y. Chen, G. Zhang, L. Yu, and R. Mantri (Eds.), Developing Solid Oral Dosage Forms – Pharmaceutical Theory and Practice, (2^nd ed.) (pp. 723-747). UK: Elsevier Inc.

·        Jones D. (2008). Fasttrack Pharmaceutics – Dosage Form and Design. London: Pharmaceutical Press.

·        Lachman, L., Lieberman, H. and Kangi, J. (1990). The Theory and Practice of Industrial Pharmacy (3^rd ed.). USA: Lea & Febiger.

·        Liu, R. (2018). Water-Insoluble Drug Formulation (3^rd ed.). New York: Taylor & Francis Group.

·        Mahato, R. and Narang, A. (2018). Pharmaceutical Dosage Forms and Drug Delivery (3^rd ed.). New York: Taylor & Francis Group.

·        Ofoefule, S. (2002). Textbook of Pharmaceutical Technology and Industrial Pharmacy. Nigeria: Samakin (Nig) Enterprise.

·        Shayne, C.