Exploring Sodium Citrate and Sodium Carbonate Transitions.
Effervescent tablets have been a staple in the pharmaceutical and dietary supplement industries for over two centuries, witnessing a surge in popularity driven by the global demand for healthier lifestyle options. These fizzing tablets are key components in a wide range of products, from dietary supplements and probiotics to other health-enhancing commodities, due to their easy consumption and effective delivery of ingredients.
However, manufacturers battle two important issues during production: premature fizzing, and the lack of tabletability, which affects the final product’s quality and efficacy. Luckily, science, in the form of sodium citrate and sodium carbonate transitions, has offered solutions.
Cobblestone’s Subject Matter Expert, Dr. Cecil Propst of Propst Consulting Services, offers his insight on effervescent products and the Sodium Citrate and Sodium Carbonate Transitions:
The Sodium Citrate Transition Advantage
Used in popular products like Alka Seltzer® and in CitraCoat N®, the development of a sodium Citrate salt coating on the Citric Acid crystals serves as a binder film (giving better compactability) as well as a milder acidic surface (reducing early Fizz tendency) on Citric Acid. The surface transition is developed in a controlled fusion reaction between Sodium Bi Carbonate and Citric Acid. The sodium citrate salt plasticity and bond strength formation improve overall tabletability versus pure Citric Acid and Sodium Bi Carbonate.
The Sodium Carbonate Transition Process
In the Sodium Carbonate Transition, a process tailored to adjust the surface characteristics of Sodium Bicarbonate comes into play. When this substance is heated beyond 70°C, water and carbon dioxide are expelled. This heat treatment generates a carbonate surface layer on the Sodium Bicarbonate, which, upon coming in contact with an acidic environment, converts to bicarbonate without fizzing immediately.
Heating a mixture or finished tablets containing Citric Acid and Sodium Bi Carbonate will also cause the formation of the sodium citrate transition in areas where the two are in close contact and drive off reactive water. The reduced surface acidity and formation of Carbonate serve as dried protected area. Thus the heating process reduces reactive water (desiccating the formula) and creates a safer transition, reducing the likelihood of premature “Fizz” ing.
Heating a mixture or finished tablets containing Citric Acid and Sodium Bi Carbonate will also cause the formation of the sodium citrate transition in areas where the two are in close contact and drive off reactive water. The reduced surface acidity and formation of Carbonate serve as dried protected area. Thus the heating process reduces reactive water (desiccating the formula) and creates a safer transition, reducing the likelihood of premature “Fizz” ing.
"Employing Sodium Citrate and Sodium Carbonate transitions in effervescent tablet production not only solves issues of premature dissolution and poor compactness but also ensures that consumers receive a product that reliably delivers the expected fizzing action at the point of use."
Benefits for Consumers and Manufacturers Alike
Employing these transitions in effervescent tablet production not only solves the issues of premature dissolution and poor compactness but also has far-reaching benefits for all stakeholders. Consumers receive a product that reliably delivers the expected fizzing action at the point of use, ensuring the proper delivery and absorption of therapeutic agents. Manufacturers, on the other hand, benefit from reduced product waste, improved consistency, and prolonged shelf life, leading to greater consumer trust and brand loyalty.
The Sodium Citrate and Sodium Carbonate transitions represent remarkable leap forwards in the technology behind effervescent tablets. Reducing premature fizzing and enhancing tabletability are monumental achievements that protect the integrity and therapeutic potential of effervescent products. The continuous pursuit of such innovations represents the pharmaceutical industry’s dedication to excellence, ensuring that the effervescent tablets we rely on for health and wellness are not only effective but also of the highest quality.