Integrity of Film-Coated Tablets Deduced from Permeability to Gases

The integrity of film-coated tablets may be a crucial factor for their long-term stability as well as for their desi-rable action in the digestive tract. Consequently, non-destructive and sensitive tests are very important for quality control of the film-coated tablets. The quasi- stationary permeation of inert gases through the tablets was proposed as a new fast and inexpensive test of the integrity of film-coated tablets. Using the commercial coating material Opadry® and alternative coating materials, the sensitivity to the test of the coating composition and to local damage of the tablets by mechanical stress was demonstrated.