The key difference between disintegration and dissolution test is that disintegration involves the breakdown of a substance into tiny fragments to improve the solubility in a solvent, whereas the dissolution test involves the dissolving of solutes in a solvent.
The terms disintegration and dissolution are useful regarding the absorption of tablets by the body. Therefore, these phenomena are discussed mainly in the pharmaceutical industry.
CONTENTS
1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is a Disintegration Test
3. What is a Dissolution Test
4. Disintegration vs Dissolution Test in Tabular Form
5. Summary – Disintegration vs Dissolution Test
What is a Disintegration Test?
The disintegration test involves the process of breaking down a substance into tiny fragments to improve its solubility in a solvent. In other words, it measures the breakdown time of a dosage form into small granules or particles.
The purpose of disintegration tests is to show how fast a tablet breaks down into small particles, which allows it to have a large surface area and high availability of drugs upon consumption by a patient. Disintegration can be done by the penetration of the physiological fluid into the powder compact and the relevant disruption of the particle-particle bonds, which maintains the structural integrity of the dosage form.
However, these tests are useful in assessing the potential importance of formulation and process variables on the biopharmaceutical properties of the tablet. It is also important as a control procedure to evaluate the quality of reproducibility.
Moreover, there are several factors that can affect the disintegration test, including binders, lubricants, surfactants, hardness, etc.
Method: Disintegration Test
For tablets, the disintegration test is carried out by putting 1-6 tablets in a basket, which is then raised and lowered into a beaker of water. Then it is used to stimulate stomach conditions at 37 degrees Celsius. In this test, we need to use perforated plastic disks to keep the tablets under the water levels if tablets or capsules tend to float. Then we can use disintegration time when no residue is left in the mesh.
What is a Dissolution Test?
The dissolution test involves the process of solutes dissolving in a solvent. In other words, it measures the amount of drug release or dissolution in the media. Generally, the dissolution of a drug is important in determining its bioavailability and therapeutic effectiveness of the drug. Moreover, the terms drug release and dissolution are used interchangeably.
The purpose of the dissolution test is to measure the extent and rate of the solution formation from a dosage form, including tablets, capsules, ointment, etc. Moreover, there are several types of dissolution tests, including basket-type, paddle type, reciprocating cylinder, flow cell, paddle over the disc, rotating cylinder, and reciprocating disc.
Method: Dissolution Test
The dissolution test requires an apparatus with specific test conditions in combination with acceptance criteria to evaluate the performance of the product. The general apparatus includes a basket, paddle, reciprocating cylinder, and flow-through cell. Then the dissolution medium is warmed up to body temperature, and we have to place one dosage unit in the apparatus. Then cover the vessel and operate the apparatus at a constant rate to determine the dissolution.
What is the Difference Between Disintegration and Dissolution Test?
Disintegration and dissolution are two important tests in pharmaceutical chemistry regarding the absorption of tablets and capsules. The key difference between disintegration and dissolution test is that disintegration involves the breakdown of a substance into tiny fragments to improve the solubility in a solvent, whereas the dissolution test involves the dissolving of solutes in a solvent.
The below infographic presents the differences between disintegration and dissolution test in tabular form for side-by-side comparison.
Summary – Disintegration vs Dissolution Test
The key difference between disintegration and dissolution test is that disintegration involves the breaking down of a substance into tiny fragments to improve the solubility in a solvent, whereas the dissolution test involves the dissolving of solutes in a solvent.
Reference:
1. “Disintegration Testing.” Laboratory Disintegration Test for Tablets. Merlin. PC
Image Courtesy:
1. “Testing for Dissolved Oxygen” By Glen Bledsoe (CC BY 2.0) via Flickr
2. “Alka-Seltzer tablet dissolving 1” By Mysterymanblue – Own work (CC BY 4.0) via Commons Wikimedia