Fast dissolving tablets: waterless patient compliance dosage forms

Drug delivery by the oral route is the most prescribable and acceptable route in terms of patient’s compliance. Improvement of patient’s compliance has always a challenge towards the development of oral drug delivery system. In the market different types of oral dosage forms are available in which tablets, capsules, syrups, suspensions are preferred ones. Oral solid drug delivery faces drawback in case of swallowing especially with paediatrics and geriatric psychotic patients. Therefore scientists attracted towards fast mouth dissolving drug delivery systems to encounter existing problems with unique property of palatability and rapid disintegration. The concept of fast dissolving tablet came into existence in late 1970 and further improvements are still going on in connection with its preparation and methodology. Fast dissolving tablets have faster disintegration and dissolution rate and releases within 30 seconds as they come in contact with saliva. These systems also obviate the requirement of carry water during drug administration. This facilitate drug delivery to the patients of dysphasic, psychic, paediatrics, geriatric and bed-ridden, unconscious population. As fast dissolving tablets falls under desired expectation of safer, convenient and economical solid dosage forms, several techniques have been developed to improve disintegration quality in the recent past years. This article mainly focuses on formulation and evaluation technologies with recent advancement made so far in the field of fast dissolving tablets.