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Why Are Some Medicines Tablets and Some Capsules?

来源:中国数字科技馆

Why Are Some Medicines Tablets and Some Capsules?

Source of pictures: Pixabay.com

After taking medicines for almost a week, Daniel was finally recovered. no more medicines! Daniel thought to himself happily. Seeing that he was really well again, Mom said, "Put the rest of the medicines in the medicine box then, since you don't have to eat them."

As he was told, Daniel put the medicines that had tortured him for days in the medicine box. He opened the box and found many other medicines in it, colorful capsules, pills and liquids in glass bottles. Daniel looked around and found that there was more than one medicine for cold alone. He picked up a box of capsules and recalled the twists and turns of the first time he taking the medicine, a capsule in the size of a peanut. He had a lot of water but couldn't swallow it. Mom made him drink a whole bottle of water before he could finally swallow it.

Daniel opened the capsule curiously and found some yellow powder in it. A terrible smell came to his nose. He quickly closed the capsule, as if he had tasted it with his tongue. Daniel put down the capsule and looked at other medicines. He picked up a plate of candy-colored round tablets and couldn’t resist opening it. Wow, they were not just colorful, but smooth to the touch. Eating them should be like eating candies! Why not make all medicines like this? How hard it was to swallow a capsule!

Daniel took the tablets and capsules to Mom, who was tidying up the bookshelf. After listening to the question, she took the capsules and looked at them for a while before answering, "The capsules are like life-buoys for medicine, helping it remain intact in our digestive tract. You know, food goes from our mouth to our stomach and then goes to the intestines. There is strong gastric acid in the stomach. Some medicines are supposed to work in our gut. Capsules can protect them from the gastric acid until they are transported to where they need to work. Also, some medicines taste very bad. With this protective shell, you won't smell the medicines when you take them. And, some medicines are unstable. They will change when they contact with light or water. Encapsulating them in airtight capsules ensures their stability and effectiveness."

Daniel continued, "What are the capsules made of?"

Mom returned to work on the bookshelf and said, "It should be gelatin. It is also the material of jelly. It is a protein extracted from collagen, which could dissolve in water. It is harmless to human body and can be hydrolyzed and digested by human protease."

Daniel was a little confused again. If capsules are so good, why are some medicines made into tablets? He followed Mom and asked more questions. Mom had to stop and explain, "People say that there is no panacea in the world. Have you heard that?' Daniel shook his head and listened. "You don’t have to make all the medicines into capsules, and there is no need. Capsules are more expensive after all, while tablets are cheaper and accurate in quantity, making them easier to control in the production process."

Daniel looked at the tablets and said, "Isn't it like a noodle maker, where the powder is pressed into little round pieces?"

Mom nodded and said, "I guess so, but I've never seen it in a pharmaceutical factory. Probably we can visit it sometime."

Author: Huang Jing

本文来自:中国数字科技馆
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