Pelletization Technique in Drug Delivery System- a Review

In present times, the pelletization technologies are giving much attention as they represent an efficient pathway for manufacture of new drug delivery system .It has good advantage over the conventional dosage form. Pelletization technique help in the formation of spherical beads or pellets having a diameter 0.5 -1.5 mm which can be eventually coated for preparation of modified release dosage form. These pelletized dosage forms have gained popularity considerably from then because of their distinct advantages, such as ease of capsule filling because of better flow properties of the perfectly spherical pellets; enhancement of drug dissolution; ease of coating; sustained, controlled, or site-specific delivery of the drug from coated pellets; uniform packing; even distribution in the GI tract; and less GI irritation. The aim of this study is to provide detailed and different techniques of pelletization. Pelletized dosage forms can be prepared by a number of techniques, including drug layering on nonpareil sugar or microcrystalline cellulose beads, spray drying, spray congealing, roto granulation, hot-melt extrusion, and spheronization of low melting materials or extrusion-spheronization of a wet mass. The techniques namely extrusionspheronization, hot melt extrusion, freeze pelletization, cryopelletization have been discussed along with formulation requirements for the process, parameters affecting pelletization. Evaluation of quality of the pellets is discussed with reference to the size distribution, shape, surface morphology, specific surface area, friability, tensile strength.