Tablet coatings are a critical aspect of pharmaceutical formulation, providing protection, masking unpleasant tastes, and enabling specific drug release profiles. In the pharmaceutical industry, the right pharmaceutical tablet coating can improve stability, patient compliance, and therapeutic performance.
However, achieving a perfect finish requires precise control over the pharmaceutical tablet coating process. Manufacturers rely on advanced Automatic Tablet Coating Machines to apply these layers uniformly, ensuring consistency across every batch.
The Jianpai JGB Series: An advanced automatic film coating machine designed for precise pharmaceutical coating applications.
Organic Film Coatings
Organic film coatings use polymers dissolved in organic solvents to form a discrete layer on tablets. They are strong barriers to moisture and often used when moisture-sensitive APIs are concerned. Though efficient at producing high-quality coated tablets, organic solvent concerns (toxicity, flammability, environmental impact) mean they are used less than aqueous coatings today.
Water-based Film Coatings
Also known as aqueous film coatings, these are the most widely used types of tablet coating today. They consist of polymers (such as HPMC, ethylcellulose), plasticizers, pigments, and other excipients dispersed in water. These coatings are safer, environmentally friendly, and still deliver the benefits of taste masking and protection.
Because water evaporates more slowly than organic solvents, using a high-efficiency Film Coating Machine with a perforated pan design is essential. This ensures optimal airflow and prevents tablet defects like sticking or picking.
Film coated tablets examples: Over-the-counter pain relievers (immediate release), vitamins, and many generic medications.
Enteric Coating
Enteric coated tablets resist gastric acid and release their contents in the small intestine. This coating is essential for drugs that could irritate the stomach (e.g. NSAIDs like aspirin, diclofenac) or are unstable in acidic environments, or that need to act locally in the intestine (e.g. certain formulations for Crohn’s disease).
This type of pharmaceutical coating ensures targeted delivery. For a deeper dive into this technology, read our guide on 5 Facts About Enteric-Coated Tablets.
To produce these industrially, a precise Enteric Coating Machine is required to withstand the long process time.
Sustained Release Coating
Sustained release coatings enable a controlled, extended release of the API over several hours. These tablets dissolve gradually in the GI tract, reducing dosing frequency and keeping plasma drug levels steady.
Common types of tablets falling under this category often bear suffixes like “SR” (sustained release), similar to modified release formulations seen in marketed products.
Controlled Release Coating
Similar to sustained release, controlled release coatings are engineered to release the drug at a predefined rate, time, or location. They can be based on porous matrices, polymer membranes, or barrier coatings. These coatings are especially useful for drugs with narrow therapeutic windows. A subset of controlled release includes osmotic pump or reservoir systems.
Immediate Release Coating
Immediate release coatings are primarily cosmetic or protective (e.g. film coating) but designed to disintegrate rapidly, often in under 15 minutes. Many film coated tablets examples you find on pharmacy shelves are actually immediate release – the coating masks taste or improves appearance, but does not delay drug absorption.
Biodegradable Coatings
Biodegradable coatings use polymers that dissolve or break down naturally in the body (e.g., PLGA, natural polymers). These are particularly promising for advanced formulations, including implants or site-specific delivery, where the carrier should disappear after drug release. Though still emerging in the mainstream pharmaceutical tablet coating space, they show strong potential for novel delivery systems.
Hot-melt Coating
Hot-melt coating involves applying a molten mixture of waxes or polymers onto tablets. Once cooled, this forms a solid coat without using solvents. Advantages include solvent-free processing. This method is often performed using a Fluid Bed Coater (Fluidized Bed Processor), which allows for precise temperature control to melt the coating material without damaging the API.
Nano-coatings
Nano-coatings use nanometer-scale materials or layered structures to add functional properties like improved photoprotection, controlled delivery, or site targeting. Though still largely experimental, nano-coatings have exciting opportunities for targeted or triggered release systems in the future.
Photo-sensitive Coating
Photo-sensitive coatings contain light-activated materials that degrade or change properties when exposed to light. They can be used to control when and where the drug is released (e.g., triggered release under UV or IR light). These are cutting-edge in pharmaceutical coating research, especially for targeted therapies or research applications.
Compression Coating & Other Methods
Although outside the original list, methods like compression coating (where a core tablet is enclosed by external coating before compression) and electrostatic powder coating are of interest for functional layering or taste-masking applications.
Comparison Table: Coating Types at a Glance
Coating Method
Purpose / Benefits
Typical Use Cases
Organic Film Coating
Moisture/acid barrier, durable
Moisture-sensitive APIs
Water-based Film Coating
Safe, environmentally friendly, masks taste
Immediate / modified release tablets
Enteric Coating
Protects stomach, delays release to intestine
NSAIDs, acid labile drugs
Sustained Release Coating
Prolonged drug release, reduced dosing frequency
Chronic therapy meds (e.g., SR forms)
Controlled Release Coating
Precise release control (rate, site)
Narrow therapeutic window drugs
Immediate Release Coating
Aesthetic/taste improvements without delaying release
OTC meds, vitamins, generics
Biodegradable Coatings
Natural breakdown, clean delivery system
Advanced implants, controlled delivery
Hot-melt Coating
Solvent-free coating, stable
Heat-stable APIs, novel formulations
Nano-coatings
Functional surface control, protection, targeting
Research-stage, targeted drug delivery
Photo-sensitive Coating
Light-triggered drug release
Innovative research, precision release systems
Conclusion
Types of tablets based on pharmaceutical coating methods are diverse and tailored to specific drug and patient needs. From traditional organic and aqueous film coatings to advanced nano-coatings and photo-sensitive coatings, each method serves distinct functions—whether for taste masking, protection from environmental degradation, or controlled and site-specific drug release.
Understanding these types of tablet coating and their applications—like enteric coated tablets, film coated tablets examples, and controlled release forms—helps formulators, pharmacists, and regulatory experts optimize drug design and ensure safety and efficacy for patients.
By staying informed of emerging technologies, pharmaceutical manufacturers can deliver more effective medications.
Whether you need a standard pill coating machine for generics or a specialized system for controlled release, Jianpai offers a full range of GMP-compliant solutions. Explore our Coating Machine Models to find the perfect fit for your production line.
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