Improvement of sticking in tablet compaction for tocopherol acetate

We have found that the addition of xylitol solution effectively improves the sticking observed in tablet compaction using a powder prescription including kneading mixtures comprising tocopherol acetate (TA)/Florite (R) RE (FLR) blends. The aim of the present study was to investigate the distribution states of TA and xylitol in kneaded mixtures comprising TA/FLR/xylitol blends and the particle states of these mixtures in order to derive an appropriate powder formulation for tablet compaction. Nitrogen gas adsorption analysis revealed that xylitol is distributed on the interparticle and intraparticle pores of FLR in the same manner as TA. Moreover, it was found that xylitol was distributed in an incomplete crystalline form because of its interaction with FLR particles in the kneaded mixtures comprising TA/FLR/xylitol blends. It was also observed that the surfaces of the particles of the kneaded mixtures comprising TA/FLR blends changed from rough to smooth because of kneading with xylitol. The occurrence of sticking can be prevented not only by the addition of xylitol but also by changing the particle states of TA/FLR/xylitol blends.