Pellets

In pharmaceutical industries, pellets are multiparticulate dosage form which was formed by the agglomeration of fine powdered excipient and drugs together that leads to the formation of small free flowing spherical or semi spherical particles.

This technique is called as pelletization process. Pellets are typically varied between 500-1500 μm in size for pharmaceutical applications. It is of great interest over other similar techniques due to its uniformity of dose, less susceptibility of dose dumping, less friability etc. With the advent of controlled release technology, drug loaded pellets have been widely investigated for its control release property in gastrointestinal tract. This review will provide an insight into previous studies on pelletization techniques, investigation of various pelletization techniques namely: layering, extrusion spheronization, cryopelletization, hot melt extrusion. It also gives a brief idea about the evaluation of pellets; parameters affecting pelletization, the different available marketed pellet formulation.

Pelletized dosage forms date back to the 1950s, when the first product was introduced to the market. In 1949, research scientists of SmithKline & French developed tiny drug pellets that are filled into capsules. Since then, these dosage forms have gained considerable popularity because of their distinct advantages such as enhancement of drug dissolution;