Combining directly compressible Ibuprofen DC 85 W with different caffeine grades and investigating the impact of particle size on processability and content uniformity

Ibuprofen is a very challenging product in direct compression. Due to its low melting point and unfavourable particle shape, there are many problems (e.g. sticking) that might occur during tabletting.

However, Ibuprofen DC 85 W as a pre-processed formulation is available offering a distinctively improve processability. Over-the-counter cold remedies frequently carry more than one active pharmaceutical ingredient, supporting the relief of various symptoms at the same time. Since, at least one component is a painkiller (e.g. Ibuprofen) the doses of other potential actives are typically much lower, causing an inherent risk for inhomogeneity.

The aim of this study was, to investigate the impact of particle size of Caffeine (added to Ibuprofen DC 85 W) on the processability of the tabletting blend and the content uniformity of the final tablets.

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