This document summarizes the manufacturing and evaluation of hard and soft gelatin capsules. It discusses the types of gelatin used, the parts of capsules, and methods for manufacturing empty and filled capsules. Hard gelatin capsules are made through dipping, spinning, drying, stripping, trimming and joining processes. Soft gelatin capsules can be made via plate, rotary die or reciprocating die methods. The document also covers important gelatin specifications, tests for capsule stability, content uniformity, disintegration and dissolution. Evaluation ensures the quality and performance of gelatin capsules.

1. SEMINAR ON MANUFACTURE AND
EVALUATION OF CAPSULES…
PRESENTED BY
M.G.P.LAKSHMI
Y12MPH413
I/IIM.PHARM CEUTICS
CHALAPATHI
INSTITUTE OF PHARMACEUTICAL SCIENCES11

2. CONTENTS
* Hard gelatin capsule.
* Types of gelatin.
* Parts of capsule.
* Manufacture of empty gelatin capsules.
* Filling of gelatin capsules.
* Soft gelatin capsules.
* Application of soft gelatin capsules.
* Manufacture of soft gelatin capsules .
* Important specification of gelatin.
* Evaluvation of capsules.
* Bibliography.
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• DEFINITION:-
These are solid dosage form of medicaments, in which
drug is enclosed within the shells made up of gelatin.
These capsules are made up of gelatin blends, small
amount of certified dyes, opaquants, plasticizers and
preservatives.
HARD GELATIN CAPSULE

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Certified Dyes
Colour approved by D & C act.
Opacifiers
Titanium dioxide.
Plasticizers
Sorbitol, Glycerin.
Preservatives
Propyl and Methyl Parabens.

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GELATIN
• Gelatin is heterogeneous product derived by
hydrolytic extraction of animal's collagen.
• The sources of gelatins including animal bones,
hide portions and frozen pork skin.
TYPES OF GELATIN
Type A
Type B

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There are two basic types of gelatin
TYPE A
Derived from acid treated precursor that exhibits an
iso electric point at pH-9. It is manufactured mainly
from pork skin.
TYPE B
Derived from alkali treated precursor that exhibits an
iso electric point at pH-4.7. It is manufactured
mainly from animal bones

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PARTS OF CAPSULE
CAPCAP
BODYBODY

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MANUFACTURE OF EMPTY GELATIN CAPSULES
Steps involved in making empty gelatin
capsules…
• Dipping
• Spinning
• Drying
• Stripping
• Trimming and Joining
• Polishing.

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Dipping :
Pairs of the stainless steel pins are dipped into
the dipping solution to simultaneously form
the caps and bodies.
The dipping solution is maintained at a
temperature of about 500
C in a heated,
jacketed dipping pan.
Spinning :
The pins are rotated to distribute the gelatin
over the pins uniformly and to avoid the
formation of a bead at the capsule ends.

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Drying :
The gelatin is dried by a blast of cool air to
form a hard shells.
The pins are moved through a series of air
drying kilns to remove water
Stripping :
A series of bronze jaws strip the cap and body
portions of the capsules from the pins.

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Trimming and joining
The stripped cap and body portions are
trimmed to the required length by stationary
knives.
After trimming to the right length, the cap and
body portion are joined and ejected from the
machine.

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SIZE OF CAPSULES
SizeSize Volume in mlVolume in ml Size in mmSize in mm
000000 1.371.37 26.326.3
0000 0.950.95 23.723.7
00 0.680.68 21.821.8
11 0.500.50 19.219.2
22 0.370.37 18.318.3
33 0.300.30 15.315.3
44 0.210.21 14.714.7
55 0.150.15 11.911.9

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SHAPES OF CAPLUSE
*The largest size of the capsule is No: 000.
*The smallest size is No: 5.
*The standard shape of capsules is traditional, symmetrical
bullet shape.

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FILLING OF HARD GELATIN CAPSULES
Various Filling Machine Available…
• Eli-lily and Co.
• Farmatic.
• Hofliger and Karg.
• Zanasi.
• Parke-Davis.
• These machine differ in there design and output

16. ZANASI AUTOMATIC
CAPSULE FILLING MACHINE
HOFLIGER KARG AUTOMATIC
CAPSULE FILLING MACHINE
16

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Polishing
Pan Polishing : Acela-cota pan is used to dust and polish.
Cloth Dusting : Capsule are rubbed with cloth.
Brushing : Capsule are feed under soft rotating brush.
Storage
Finished capsules normally contain an equilibrium
moisture content of 13-16%.
To maintain a relative humidity of 40-60% when
handling and storing capsules

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SOFT GELATIN CAPSULE

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SOFT GELATIN CAPSULE
Definition:-
Soft Gelatin capsules are one piece, hermetically
sealed, soft gelatin shells containing a liquid, a
suspension, or a semisolid.
Soft gelatin is mainly composed of gelatin,
plasticizers, preservative, colouring and
opacifying agents, flavoring agents and sugars.

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APPLICATION OF SOFT GELATIN CAPSULE
The pharmaceutical applications of soft gelatin
capsules are:
as an oral dosage form
as a suppository dosage form
as a specialty package in tube form, for
human and veterinary use, single dose
application for topical, ophthalmic, and rectal
ointments.

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Plasticizer and Gelatin ratio
In soft gelatin capsule the amount of plasticizers used is
more
In soft gelatin capsule the plasticizer and gelatin ratio is
0.8 : 1
In hard gelatin capsule the plasticizer and gelatin ratio
is
0.4 : 1

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SHAPE OF CAPSULE
The shape of soft gelatin
capsule are round, oval,
oblong, tube.

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MANUFACTURE OF SOFT GELATIN CAPSULES
Is manufactured by four methods
• Plate process.
• Rotary die process.
• Reciprocating die.
• Accogel machine.

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Plate process:
•Place the gelatin sheet over a die plate
containing numerous die pockets,
•Application of vacuum to draw the sheet
in to the die pockets,
•Fill the pockets with liquid or paste,
•Place another gelatin sheet over the filled
pockets, and
•Sandwich under a die press where the
capsules are formed and cut out.

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Rotary die process:
The material to be encapsulated flows by gravity. the
gelatin sheets are feed on rolls contain small orifice
lined up with the die pocket of the die roll.
Two plasticized gelatin ribbons are continuously and
simultaneously fed with the liquid or paste fill between
the rollers of the rotary die mechanism where the
capsule are simultaneously filled, shaped, hermetically
sealed and cut from the gelatin ribbon.
The sealing of the capsule is achieved by mechanical
pressure on the die rolls and the heating(37-40°C) of
the ribbons by the wedge.

26. The rotary die process
26

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IMPORTANT SPECIFICATIONS OF GELATIN
Bloom or gel strength: It is a measure of cohesive
strength of cross-linkage that occurs between
molecules and is proportion to the molecular weight
of gelatin.
Bloom is determined by measuring the weight in grams
required to move a plastic plunger of 0.5inches in
diameter, 4mm into a 62/3% gelatin that has held at
10°C for 17 hrs.
The unit of bloom is grams and it is between 150-250g

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Viscosity: Is determined on a 62/3% gelatin of water
at 60°C and it is a measure of the molecular chain
length.
Standard used: 25-45 milli poise.
Iron content: Iron is always present in raw gelatin,
and its concentration usually depends on the iron
content of the large quantities of water used in its
manufacture .
amount should not exceed 15ppm.

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EVALUVATION OF CAPSULES
1. STABILITY TESTS.
a) Shell integrity test
b) Determination of shelf life
2.INVARIABILITY TESTS.
a ) Weight variation
b) Content uniformity
3. DISINTEGRATION TEST.
4. DISSOLUTION TEST.
5. MOISTURE PERMEATION TEST.

30. 1.STABILITY TESTS
• Stability tests for capsules are performed to know the
integrity of gelatin capsule shell ( but not to know the stability
of therapeuticallay active agent ) and for determining the
shelf life of capsules.
• The tests helps in improving the quality of contents of capsule
shell and for choosing the appropriate retail package.
BEFORE ACTUALLY PERFORMING THE TESTS FOLLOWING FACT:
(i).the capsule shell are to be stabilized to know atmospheric
condition with relative humidity about 20-30 % and
temperature about 21-24⁰c .
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31. A ) SHELL INTEGRITY TEST :
▪ This test is performed to find out the integrity of
capsule shell.
The standard capsule shells kept at the room
temperature 40 ⁰c and 80% RH becomes more
soft ,sticky and swollen .
B) DETERMINATION OF SHELF LIFE :
Shelf life or the expiry date of packed capsules is
determined under normal storage conditions.
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32. INVARIABILITY TESTS
The invariabilty in the medicaments packed in the
capsule shells can be determined by performing the
following tests :
a)Weight variation test
b) Content uniformity test
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33. DISINTEGRATION TEST
• Disintegration test is a method to evaluate the
rate of disintegration of solid dosage forms .
disintegration is defined as the breakdown of
solid dosage form into small particles after it is
ingested .
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34. DISSOLUTION TEST
▪ Dissolution test is an official method to
determine the dissolution rate of a solid dosage
form .
▪ Dissolution rate is defined as the rate at which
the drug is released into the systemic
circulation from the dosage from .
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35. DISSOLUTION TEST APPARATUS
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a) . Apparatus -1 ( rotating basket dissolution
apparatus ) :-
▪Small wire mesh size basket – 22
▪Temperature – 37 +/- 5⁰c
▪Rotated speed – 25 -150 rpm
▪Dissolution medium hight from the
bottam of the vessel :- 23-27 mm

36. b) Apparatus -2 ( rotating paddle dissolution
apparatus) :-
Small wire mesh size :- 22
Dissolution medium hight from the
bottam of the vessel :- 23-27 mm
▪Temperature – 37 +/- 5⁰c
▪Rotated speed – 25 -150 rpm
▪Dissolution medium hight from the
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37. MOISTURE PERMEATION TEST
To assure the suitability of containers for
packaging capsules .
The moisture permeating feature of capsules
packaged in
▪ single unit containers – blister pack or strip
pack
▪ unit dose containers – glass or plastic bottles
Are to be determined .
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38. BIBLIOGRAPHY
◊The science and practice of pharmacy by Remington
-P.G . NO- 918.
◊ The theory and practice of industrial pharmacy by
Leon Lachman ,Herbert A.Lieberman
– P.G .
NO -374.
◊ Pharmaceutics the design and manufacture of medicines by
E. Aulton – P.G .NO
– 515.
◊ Practical pharmaceutics by Dr.G.D. Gupta , R.S
.Gaud
– P.G . NO – 14. 38

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