Comprehensive Physical Testing Of Pharmaceutical Liquids, Solids, And Related Packaging Materials

By Len Thibodeau, Texture Product Manager, Brookfield Engineering Laboratories

Pharmaceutical products may be in the form of liquids, ointments or solids,all of which must be packaged. Physical testing on each of these products, and their packaging, is usally done for quality control purposes. Liquids are often tested for viscosity using a Brookfield rotational viscometer. Ointments are tested for yield stress and their shear thinning flow characteristics. Solids, tablets and capsules are tested to determine their hardness using a compression tester.

While viscosity and yield stress are usally measured with viscometer or rheometer, a Texture Analyzer can also be used for QC testing of these products. A test is conducted by driving a cylindrical probe slowly into the product while by measuring the result force.