SEM/EDX and confocal Raman microscopy as complementary tools for the characterization of pharmaceutical tablets.

The drug distribution on the surface of hot-melt extruded, pre-mixed hot-melt extruded and direct compressed tablet formulations was characterized by using scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) and confocal Raman spectroscopy. Formulations of paracetamol (PMOL) and Compritol(®) (C-888) were extruded using hot-melt extrusion at different processing temperatures and formulation compositions before being compressed into tablets. EDX and confocal Raman spectroscopy were employed to map the drug and excipient distribution, both qualitatively and quantitatively, on the surface of the tablets. The results from EDX and confocal Raman studies confirmed better uniformity and distribution of PMOL in the pre-mixed extruded formulations compared to both hot-melt extruded formulations and those obtained by means of direct compression. The quantification of the drug composition on the surface of the tablets by both EDX and confocal Raman was in good agreement with the theoretically expected values.