Duocapsule and alternative shell material to gelatin: Advancement in capsule formulation

Owing to broad advantages like self-medication, unit dosage form, and patient compliance, cost effective, limited interaction with the excipients and possibility of mask the unpleasant taste, capsules are the most extensively recognized conventional solid dosage form after Tablet. In the world of Novel drug delivery system to overcome the disadvantages of conventional delivery system modifications are made in the capsule to develop a product of higher selectivity for medical treatment like the capsules that facilitates the controlled drug delivery, sustained and targeted release profiles with its own benefits as conventional dosage form. The advancement in capsules has led to the formation of different types of capsule formulations such as tablets in capsules, pellets in capsule and the capsule in another capsule, liquid in capsule products and pellets in capsule formulations.
This article aims to highlights the advancement in the capsule system, particularly Duocapsules and capsules with capsule shell prepared with alternative shell material to gelatin. The Duo capsule is also called as capsule in capsule formulation as it contains two capsules one with the bigger size containing the smaller sized capsule inside it with different or same formulations in various forms such as liquids, solids, powders, tablets, pellets etc. The article mainly focuses on the different applications, advantages, formulation consideration, and applicable drugs of duo capsules.
Considering the challenges invovled in manufacturing the gelatin shell and unstability of in different climatic conditions, the present article also emphasizes on the formulation development in capsule system with alternative polymers to the gelatin like HPMC, starch and PVA copolymer capsule shells.