Influence of microwave drying and conventional drying methods on the mechanical properties of naproxen sodium drug tablets

Abstract Tablets are one of the most commonly used solid dosage forms taken by patients. The preparation of high-quality tablets requires an understanding of the preparation process and elucidation of how the physical and mechanical properties change as a function of the preparation process. This work aims to investigate the impact of microwave irradiation drying and conventional drying methods (including freeze, convective and vacuum drying) on the hardness, tensile strength and friability of tablets made from a multi-component formulation containing naproxen sodium, microcrystalline cellulose, and polyvinylpyrrolidone. The results show that tablets subjected to microwave drying had the second-highest tensile strength and hardness of 1.296 MPa and 67 N, respectively. The tablets subjected to vacuum drying had the lowest tensile strength and hardness of 1.21 MPa and 64 N, respectively. The friability index values for the tablets derived from the microwave and freeze-drying methods were 1%. Microwave drying was observed to be an efficient method to produce naproxen sodium-containing tablets with satisfactory mechanical properties. These findings confirm that the drying method plays an essential role in the improvement or degradation of the mechanical properties of tablets.