Rapidly disintegrable tablet composition and method

Rapidly water-disintegrable tablet comprising an active ingredient, and distributed therewithin an effective amount of a tablet disintegrable system comprising an unreacted, intimate mixture of alginic acid and a water soluble metal carbonate in proportions reactive to form metal alginic acid salt and carbonic acid when the tablet is placed in water, said alginic acid comprising from 3 to 15% and the metal carbonate from 1 to 70% of the tablet by weight, the bulk of the salt formed acting to swell the tablet and the carbonic acid acting to simultaneously release carbon dioxide within the swelling tablet whereby rapid disintegration of the tablet is effected, said alginic acid salt acting to body the resulting active ingredient solution.

Method of preparing a rapidly water-disintegrable tablet, including combining an active ingredient with a small but effective amount of an unreacted mixture of a water soluble metal carbonate and alginic acid, intimately and under pressure, pulverizing, and tabletting with a lubricant as necessary to form a stable tablet.