| Table 3 Advantages and Disadvantages Offered by Various Excipients in Direct Compression and Wet Granulation |
| Excipient | | |
| Microcrystalline Cellulose | Directly compressible | Fair flowability |
| Binder activity | Higher cost |
| High carrying capacity | |
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Hard tablets at low compression pressures |
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Wicking action promotes fast tablet disintegration |
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Protects granulation from overwetting while wet massing |
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| Powdered Cellulose | |
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Some degree of inherent lubricity, which minimizes ejection force |
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| Poor flow |
| | Poor compressibility |
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Poor binding properties, little interparticulate binding |
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| Inexpensive | |
| | Low dilution potential |
| Sucrose | |
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Good binder, produces strong granules and tablets |
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Needs high machine pressures, particularly with overwetted granulations |
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| Inexpensive | |
| Soluble | Slight hygroscopic |
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May produce gritty mouth feel |
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| | Cariogenic |
| | Calorie contributor |
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Not acceptable for diabetics |
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| Compressible Sugar | Highly compressible | |
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Not acceptable for diabetics |
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| Soluble | |
| Nonhygroscopic | Calorie contributor |
| Free flowing | Cariogenic |
| Inexpensive | |
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Available commercially in colors |
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| Mannitol | White | Poor flow |
| Nonhygroscopic | |
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Needs high lubricant content |
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| Water soluble | |
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Compresses well when combined with other direct-compression excipients |
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