FORMULATION AND EVALUATION OF FAST DISINTEGRATING VITAMIN C TABLETS TO IMPROVE BIOAVAILABILITY

Ascorbic acid or vitamin C, is a water-soluble vitamin with significant immunomodulatory and antioxidant properties. However, its chemical instability and dose-dependent, saturable intestinal absorption may limit its oral bioavailability. In addition to requiring water for administration, conventional tablets may disintegrate more slowly, making them less convenient and delaying the release of medication, particularly in patients who are dysphagic, elderly, or paediatric. Mouth dissolving tablets are the most important and advised method of drug delivery because they are easier for patients to access and tolerate, which dissolves and breaks in the mouth in a matter of minutes thanks to the action of super disintegrating agents that maximise the formulation's pore structure. The goal of this study was to create an ascorbic acid tablet that dissolves in the mouth. The dry granulation method was used to prepare tablets containing the drug and excipients. To do this, excipients were combined in different ways. The optimal formulation was optimised by examining the effects of various combinations. Using FTIR spectrum analysis, drug-excipient interaction investigations were conducted. The tablets hardness, dissolving parameters, wetting time, and disintegration time were assessed. Soluble starch, sodium starch glycolate, and tablets were found to meet all evaluation criteria and were therefore chosen as the optimal formulation. Stability testing was performed on the optimised formulation in order to predict the shelf life. Super disintegrants and inactive chemicals play a significant role in increasing the drug's bioavailability and accelerating its release in the oral cavity. According to the study's findings, fast- disintegrating vitamin C tablets are a viable dose form that offers improved patient compliance, a quick onset of action, and maybe enhanced bioavailability, making them appropriate for both routine supplementation and populations with swallowing issues.