The oral dosage forms are the most extensively used form of medication around the world. These include tablets, capsules, syrups, effervescent tablets and granules, etc. Tablets, being an oral solid dosage form have one major drawback when it comes to administration of drugs. They have slow absorption which leads to delayed action. This can be overcome by administering the drug in a liquid form, but not many ingredients are stable in a liquid form. This is where effervescent tablets come to the rescue. Effervescent tablets react rapidly in the presence of water releasing carbon dioxide which leads to rapid disintegration. Not only do they offer stability but also quick onset of action.
Hermes pharmaceuticals conducted a survey in US and Germany to explore the acceptance of conventional dosage forms such as tablets and capsules as well as user-friendly forms including effervescent and chewable tablets. They found that while 50% of the respondents had no problem with normal tablets and capsules rest of them did complain. Here are the findings
23% of the respondents thought that the capsules/tablets were too big to swallow 22% of the respondents thought that the tablets were unpleasant to swallow 18% of the respondents had a gagging reflex action after swallowing the tablet 9% of the respondents had experienced that the tablets stuck to their oral cavity A further analysis of these respondents found that while most of them looked for alternate forms of medications, a shocking 10% stopped taking their medications altogether.
Effervescent tablets offer a good alterative as they take care of most of the problems associated withnormal tablets and capsules. You don’t need to swallow the tablet and as you ingest them in a liquid form; it leads to a fast onset of action. It has superior stability and has good tolerance by the stomach and intestines which leads to superior response. Incorporation of large amount of active ingredients is also possible and that too at a higher efficiency.
Effervescent tablets are so popular due to the fact they can be dissolved in liquid such as water or fruit juice, meaning that they often taste better than regular tablets. Conventional tablets dissolve gradually in the stomach once ingested and can sometimes only partially dissolve which can lead to irritation in some cases. The benefit of effervescent tablets is that they dissolve completely and evenly meaning that localized concentrations of the ingredients cannot occur. This means not only a better taste, but also less chance of irritation and a more efficient means of ingesting the ingredients.
They can be a great alternative for those who may have trouble swallowing either due to illness or age. Older individuals may have difficulty swallowing but need to take medication or supplements on a regular basis and in this respect effervescent tablet can be a lot easier than having to swallow a tablet. In addition to this, they can be a great way of ingesting medicine for individuals with sore throats or medical issues that make swallowing difficult and so are a viable alternative to regular tablets.
Effervescent tablets are becoming increasingly popular and it is easy to see why. They provide a much more efficient way of taking supplements or medication due to being distributed evenly and much more quickly than regular tablets. In addition to this they taste better as can be added to water or a liquid drink of your choice as well as being easier to take for people who may find it difficult to swallow. All these factors combine to make effervescent tablets a very popular choice for those taking tablets for either dietary supplementation or medicinal reasons.
