The impact of tablet shape on quality control parameters for metronidazole tablet marketed in Libya

Abstract :

Worldwide, various metronidazole brands are manufactured and are imported to the Libyan market which are considered pharmaceutically equivalent but may differ in characteristics such as shape, packaging, excipients, etc. This issue has become a valuable topic for researchers due to the lack of information on the effective quality of the tablets about their shapes. The purpose of this study was to assess the pharmaceutical quality of two metronidazole tablet brands with different shapes that are available for purchase in Libya and to figure out how the shape differences impact metronidazole tablet quality. For this purpose, two shapes of metronidazole tablets, round and oblong, were used. The quality control characteristic parameters of a tablet, such as its weight variation, content uniformity, hardness, friability, disintegration, and dissolution were evaluated. The procedures described in the United States Pharmacopoeia (USP) were followed for the tests. All round and oblong tablets passed the weight variation, content uniformity, friability, disintegration time, and dissolution tests that complied with the USP specifications, except for the hardness test, which round and oblong tablets failed to pass. The findings indicated that the shape variations do not affect on the metronidazole tablet quality parameters. The choice of shape of a tablet depends on improving its mechanical qualities, its handling convenience, its packing, and its visual appeal.

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Citation :

Saleh et al. (2024) The impact of tablet shape on quality control parameters for metronidazole tablet marketed in Libya. Mediterr J Pharm Pharm Sci. 4 (2): 47-54. [Article Number: 158]. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.11477048