Comparative Review of Functionality and Performance of the Natural and Synthetic Superdisintegrants

Immediate release oral solid dosage forms such as orally disintegrating tablets are usually formulated in order to provide safer, immediate and effective drug delivery to the patient. There is a need for proper selection of disintegrants or superdisintegrants and to know their performance when added in the formulation of orally disintegrating tablets. Superdisintegrants are usually added to the formulation of fast dissolving tablets in order to improve the efficacy of the dosage form and to obtain optimum bioavailability by reducing the disintegration time. Superdisintegrants are usually used in low concentration (1-10%w/w) in the solid dosage form. The objective of this review is to compare the functionality and the performance of different types of natural and synthetic commercially available superdisintegrants. This review may provide insight in to the selection of superdisintegrants according to the class of drug selected for the formulation of orally disintegrating tablets.