superdisintegrants

Superdisintegrants are specialized excipients added to oral solid dosage forms to promote rapid disintegration and release of the active pharmaceutical ingredient when the dosage form contacts fluids. They are designed to be more efficient than conventional disintegrants, enabling faster breakup of tablets or capsules with relatively small amounts of additive.

Most act by swelling and forming a gel-like network that exerts disintegration pressure, by promoting rapid water uptake (wicking) to break apart the matrix, or by a combination of these actions. Some crosslinked polymers also create a porous, highly hydrated structure that compromises the integrity of the compact upon contact with gastric fluids. The overall effect is to shorten disintegration time and improve drug release, often without requiring complete dissolution of the drug beforehand.

Common superdisintegrants include crospovidone (crosslinked povidone), croscarmellose sodium (crosslinked cellulose gum), and sodium starch glycolate (crosslinked starch). Other polymers and natural substances can function as superdisintegrants under appropriate processing conditions. They are typically used in low percentages, about 1 to 5 percent by weight of the tablet or fill, and are compatible with a wide range of active ingredients.

Applications are especially valuable in fast-dissolving or orally disintegrating tablets, where rapid disintegration supports faster onset of action and can improve bioavailability for certain drugs. Quality control typically assesses disintegration time and in vitro dispersion, along with standard dosage-form tests for uniformity and stability. Selection depends on drug properties, desired disintegration time, and manufacturing constraints.