2002 年 28 巻 1 号 p. 68-73
For the self-treatment of hypoglycemia in diabetic patients receiving oral hypoglycemic drugs or insulin injection, we attempted to prepare quickly disintegrating glucose tablets to make them easy to swallow without drinking water. Tablets containing 2, 5 and 10% microcrystalline cellulose were prepared by direct compression at forces of 0.04, 0.06 and 0.12t/cm2. The hardness and water absorption properties were measured as characteristics of the tablets. Changes in the blood glucose level after the oral administration of two tablets were examined using hypoglycemic male rabbits given a subcutaneous injection of one unit of insulin. The intra-oral disintegration time of the glucose tablets was measured in three healthy volunteers who were each administered five tablets.
The hardness of the tablets increased as the concentration of microcrystalline cellulose and force of compression increased. The highest value of hardness was 5.27kg (10%, 0.12t/cm2), and the lowest was 1.11kg (2%, 0.04t/cm2). The water absorption rate increased with the concentration of microcrystalline cellulose. The intra-oral disintegration time of the glucose tablets increased as the compression force increased. The minimum value was 83s (2%, 0.04t/cm2) and the maximum 203s (10%, 0.12t/cm2). The results of a multiple regression analysis showed that the tablet hardness correlated closely with the concentration of microcrystalline cellulose in the tablets and the compression force applied. The factors influencing the characteristics of the glucose tablets prepared in this study could be quantitatively analyzed by a multiple regression analysis.
