Abstract: According to this invention various hygroscopic malflavored drugs can be proceeded by a unique wet granulation process wherein a slurry of the drug in water is dried in combination with colloidal silicon dioxide and, in a particularly preferred embodiment microcrystalline cellulose with the colloidal silicon dioxide absorbing onto the drug particles.The result is a protective coating of silicon dioxide which masks unpleasant taste and odor and also reduces the adhesive of the granulation onto the punch faces used in the manufacture of the granules. By adsorbing silicon dioxide on the particulate surface of the malflavored hygroscopic drug, the drug becomes not only easier to handle but the unpleasant tastes and/or odors are masked making the fiinal product more susceptible to proper patient compliance.

Abstract: A dosing disc capsule machine has a tamping pin carried in a mounting block for extending into openings in a dosing disc to compact powder in the openings to form a plug. The plug is then transferred into a capsule body by an ejection pin. In accordance with the invention, a load cell is positioned above the tamping pin in the mounting block for measuring the compressive force exerted on the powder by the tamping pin. The load cell occupies the space normally occupied by the overload spring in such dosing disc capsule machines. Thus, modification of the tamping pin is not necessary, and the simple substitution of parts makes it possible to interchange the instrumentation from one machine to another. Further, the modifications are minor and do not affect the normal operation of the machine.

Abstract: Apparatus for measuring the hardness of capsule plugs, granules and pellets, in which a power stand (11) has a base (12) and gear motor (15) for driving a replaceable probe (25) toward a test subject supported on the base. A test subject holder (27) is placed on the base for holding the test subject, and comprises spaced apart first and second support plates (28, 30) fixed relative to one another with a third support plate (29) movable therebetween to define a space variable between zero and a predetermined maximum. Accordingly, a test subject may be held on the support for testing in a selected one of a variety of modes, including crushing, bending and cutting, depending on the spacing of the plates and the probe selected.