2. Read and translate the text. Preparation of tablets

The chemists say that the tablet is the most common form of medication for the administering of drugs in a dry state. Its preparation constitutes an important part of modern “Pharmaceutical Technology”.

From a purely physical point of view, the technique of tablet making or tableting may be defined as a process whereby a known volume of a drug in a finely divided state is subjected to pressure in a die between two punches.

A tablet shows definite properties of mechanical strength and is also characterized by a definite rate of disintegration when brought into contact with water.

It is generally observed that tablets can be made easily from certain drugs, such as sodium chloride and other alkali halides, even without the addition of auxiliary substances. For some other drugs, as lactose, the addition of auxiliary substances is found to be necessary to overcome certain difficulties in their tableting. The chemists proved that some difficulties were occasionally experienced in the process of tableting certain materials because of persistent binding or sticking in the tablet machine.

Sticking may occur when there is too much moisture in the granules which in turn may be due to insufficient drying, etc.

The application of different pressure during tableting plays a very important role. The correct pressure must be applied in order avoid unnecessary complications. Tablets which should dissolve slowly in the mouth must be more strongly compressed than other average tablets for internal administration.

Another important effect of higher pressures is an increase in friction which obviously necessitates the use of greater amounts of lubricants and glidants. Glidants are added to the tablet materials to improve their flow properties. They are generally powdery substances which deform only slightly when subjected to the compressing pressures. To glidants belong such substances as natural starch, which has excellent flow improvement properties.

Lubricants are substances which facilitate smooth election of the compressed tablets.

The chemists said that the use of starch as an auxiliary in tablet making had been recognized for a very long time. It was stated that starches possess very good glidant properties in increasing the flow of tablet materials and they do not show any lubricating action.

III. Answer the questions:

1. What is a tablet?

2. Describe the process of tableting.

3. What are tablets made from?

4. What is the role of pressure during tableting?

5. What are glidants added for?

6. What are lubricants added for?

7. What possesses very good glidant properties?

IV. Match adjectives and nouns from the text.

dry	point of view
physical	state
definite	strength
certain	properties
auxiliary	pressure
powdery	difficulties
correct	substances
mechanical	substances