Abstract: Tablet comprising at least one biologically active substance and an excipient, in which the excipient contains calcium carbonate and at least one additive selected from fatty acids, their salts, their esters, lipid materials, polysaccharides, polyvinylpyrrolidone and polyvinylpyrrolidone derivatives, acrylic compounds, mono-, di- or triglyceride esters, animal proteins, and mixtures of at least two of these. Method for producing these tablets. Use of calcium carbonate in tablets containing at least one biologically active substance, for the prolonged release of this substance.

Abstract: A process for obtaining a spray-dried high amylose sodium carboxymethyl starch comprising a major fraction of amorphous form and optionally a minor fraction of crystalline V form, is provided. The process comprises providing an amorphous pregelatinized high amylose sodium carboxymethyl starch (HASCA); dispersing the amorphous pregelatinized HASCA in a solution comprising water and at least one first pharmaceutically acceptable organic solvent miscible with water and suitable for spray-drying; and spray-drying the dispersion to obtain the spray-dried HASCA comprising a major fraction of amorphous form and optionally a minor fraction of crystalline V form, in the form of a powder. Also provided is a spray-dried HASCA sustained-release excipient. This excipient is useful for preparing a tablet for the sustained-release of at least one drug.

Abstract: Tablet comprising at least one biologically active substance and an excipient, in which the excipient contains calcium carbonate and at least one additive selected from fatty acids, their salts, their esters, lipid materials, polysaccharides, polyvinylpyrrolidone and polyvinylpyrrolidone derivatives, acrylic compounds, mono-, di- or triglyceride esters, animal proteins, and mixtures of at least two of these. Method for producing these tablets. Use of calcium carbonate in tablets containing at least one biologically active substance, for the prolonged release of this substance.

Abstract: The invention concerns the formulation and method of fabricating rapid dispersion spheroids which can be heavily charged with active substances. These spheroids are formulated using at least one active substance, specifically a solution of vegetable origin, absorbed and/or adsorbed on a dry technological mixture with a slightly substituted hydroxypropylated cellulose ether base at the level of core groups &bgr;-O-glucopyranosil, preferably characterized by having a substitution rate of about 11% and a water soluble fractional percentage of about 4.29%. The spheroids are obtained by an extrusion and spheronization process. This invention is of interest in the fields of health, hygiene, dietetics, cosmetology, nutrition, and agriculture; it may concern humans or animals.

Abstract: Compositions of natural, especially plant, constituents in the form of spheroids in particular of the medicinal type and formulations necessary to their preparation by a technical extrusion and spheronization system. Compositions characterized by the direct use of large quantities of solutions of natural, especially plant, origin such as liquid extracts adsorbed by natural or synthetic polymer-type substances. These various components are selected so that their combination permits the obtainment of a mass of a plasticity compatible with the technical extrusion and spheronization system. According to the process, liquid extract is prepared, this extract is incorporated in a substance of a polymeric type, the correctly moistened mass is extruded by micro-extrusion techniques and the extrudates are spheronized and then dried and calibrated.