In the manufacture of pharmaceuticals, encapsulation refers to a range of techniques used to enclose medicines in a relatively stable shell, allowing them to, for example, be taken orally or be used as suppositories. The two main types of capsules are hard-shelled capsules, which are normally used for dry, powdered ingredients, and soft-shelled capsules, primarily used for oils and for active ingredients that are dissolved or suspended in oil. Both of these classes of capsule are made both from gelatine and from plant-based gelling substances like carrageenans and modified forms of starch and cellulose. A suppository is a medicine that is inserted either into the rectum (rectal suppository) or into the vagina (vaginal suppository) where it melts. ... Synthetic motor oil An oil is any substance that is in a viscous liquid state (oily) at ambient temperatures or slightly warmer, and is both hydrophobic (immiscible with water, literally water fearing) and lipophilic (miscible with other oils, literally fat loving). This general definition includes compound classes with otherwise unrelated... Gelatin (also gelatine) is a translucent brittle solid, colorless or slightly yellow, nearly tasteless and odorless, that is created by prolonged boiling of animal connective tissue. ... For other uses, see Plant (disambiguation). ... Carrageenans or carrageenins (pronounced ) are a family of linear sulphated polysaccharides extracted from red seaweeds. ... Starch (CAS# 9005-25-8) is a complex carbohydrate which is insoluble in water; it is used by plants as a way to store excess glucose. ... Cellulose as polymer of β-D-glucose Cellulose in 3D Cellulose (C6H10O5)n is a polysaccharide of beta-glucose. ...

Since their inception, capsules have been viewed as the medium of more potent medicines than tablets, which are more commonly associated with weaker OTC drugs. For this reason, producers of drugs such as OTC analgesics wanting to emphasize the strength of their product developed the "caplet" or "capsule-shaped tablet" in order to tie this positive association to more efficiently-produced tablet pills. After the 1982 Tylenol tampering murders, capsules experienced a minor fall in popularity as tablets were seen as more resistant to tampering.^[1] For other meanings please see Tablet (disambiguation) Common disk-shaped pills A pharmacological tablet is a medicinal or other active substance mixed with binder powders and pressed into a tablet form. ... Over-the-counter (OTC) drugs are medicines that may be sold without a prescription, in contrast to prescription drugs. ... The Tylenol crisis occurred in the autumn of 1982, when seven people in the Chicago area in the United States died after ingesting Extra Strength Tylenol medicine capsules which had been laced with potassium cyanide poison. ...

Soft gel encapsulation

Cod liver oil soft gel capsules.

In 1834, Mothes and Dublanc were granted a patent for a method to produce a single-piece gelatin capsule that was sealed with a drop of gelatin solution. They used individual iron moulds for their process, filling the capsules individually with a medicine dropper. Later on, methods were developed that used sets of plates with pockets to form the capsules. Although some companies still use this method, the equipment is not produced commercially any more. All modern soft-gel encapsulation uses variations of a process developed by R.P. Scherer in 1933. His brilliant innovation was to use a rotary die to produce the capsules, with the filling taking place by blow molding. This method reduced wastage, and was the first process to yield capsules with highly repeatable dosage. Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (1037x778, 100 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Cod liver oil Encapsulation (pharmacology) User:Woldo/Contributions ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (1037x778, 100 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Cod liver oil Encapsulation (pharmacology) User:Woldo/Contributions ... Capsules of Cod Liver Oil Cod liver oil, as its name suggests, is an oil extracted from cod livers. ... Year 1834 (MDCCCXXXIV) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian Calendar (or a common year starting on Monday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... Gelatin (also gelatine, from French gélatine) is a translucent brittle solid substance, colorless or slightly yellow, nearly tasteless and considered foul smelling, extracted from the collagen inside animals connective tissue. ... In 1933 the prolific inventor Robert Pauli Scherer (1906-1960) invented the rotary die encapsulation process, revolutionizing the soft-gelatin encapsulation field. ... Year 1933 (MCMXXXIII) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... hi meBlow molding or blow moulding (see spelling differences) is a manufacturing process by which hollow plastic parts are formed. ...

In 1949, the Lederle Laboratories division of the American Cyanamid Company developed the "Accogel" process, allowing powders to be accurately filled into soft gelatin capsules. Year 1949 (MCMXLIX) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... American Cyanamid was a large, diversified, American chemical manufacturer. ...

Two-part gel capsules

Two-part hard gelatin capsules

James Murdock patented the two-part telescoping gelatin capsule in London in 1847^[2]. Basically, the capsules are made in two parts by dipping metal rods in molten gelatin solution. The capsules are supplied as closed units to the pharmaceutical manufacturer. Before use, the two halves are separated, the capsule is filled with powder (either by placing a compressed slug of powder into one half of the capsule, or by filling one half of the capsule with loose powder) and the other half of the capsule is pressed on. The advantage of inserting a slug of compressed powder is that control of weight variation is better, but the machinery involved is more complex.^[3] Image File history File links Size of this preview: 628 × 599 pixel Image in higher resolution (704 × 672 pixel, file size: 51 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) *Beschreibung: Kapseln *Fotograf: Markus Würfel *Copyright Status: GNU Freie Dokumentationslizenz File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 628 × 599 pixel Image in higher resolution (704 × 672 pixel, file size: 51 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) *Beschreibung: Kapseln *Fotograf: Markus Würfel *Copyright Status: GNU Freie Dokumentationslizenz File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this... This article is about the capital of England and the United Kingdom. ... 1847 was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ...

References

1. ^ Sims, Calvin. "Despite "mystique" of capsules, many drugs work in other forms", New York Times, February 15, 1986. 
2. ^ "History of dosage forms and basic preparations". Encyclopedia of Pharmaceutical Technology 7. (1998). Informa Health Care. 304-306. ISBN 0824728068. 
3. ^ Bill Bennett and Graham Cole (2003). Pharmaceutical Production, an Engineering Guide. IChemE, 126-129. ISBN 0852954409. 

• L. Lachman, H.A. Lieberman, J.L. Kanig (1986). The Theory and Practice of Industrial Pharmacy (3rd Ed.). Lea & Febiger, Philadelphia. ISBN 0-8121-0977-5. 

Manufacturer References

GelCell Capsules - Wholesale soft gel manufacturer