The following excipients impart satisfactory compression characteristics to tablet formulation except:

• A. Glidant
• B. Disintegrants
• C. Lubricant
• D. Anti-adherents

Answer: (B)

Understanding how excipients affect tablet formation starts with compression characteristics: how well the powder flows into the die, compacts into a sturdy tablet, and ejects without sticking. Glidants improve flow by reducing interparticle friction, helping uniform die filling. Lubricants create a thin lubricating layer between the powder and the tablet tooling, lowering friction during compression and ejection. Anti-adherents prevent sticking of the powder to the punches and die walls, further supporting smooth manufacture. Disintegrants, by contrast, are there to promote breakup of the tablet once it’s in the GI tract. They work by swelling or absorbing water, not by enhancing the forces or flow needed to form a strong, uniform tablet. Because their primary function is disintegration, they don’t contribute to, and can even hinder, satisfactory compression characteristics. That’s why they’re the exception.