4 ms·

Ask HN: Why do some medicines come as pills and others as capsules?

9 points by litoE 2y ago

codingdave 2y ago
Different speeds of action, different densities of medicine, shelf lives, etc. Form follows function and all that.
- solardev 2y ago
  What about the same medicine and dosage available in both forms? Like a lot of over the counter painkillers or anti inflammatory drugs can be either/or. Is there any big difference between them?
  - mikequinlan 2y ago
    Capsules can be more expensive (there is an extra step in the manufacturing process) but can be easier for some people to swallow.
486sx33 2y ago
Sometimes half a pill comes in a capsule!
throwup238 2y ago
Capsules are more expensive and can’t be easily split by patients so pills are generally preferred by manufacturers. Reasons to use capsules: - they protect the medicine better from light and moisture and oxygen than tablets - powder in capsules dissolves faster, more evenly and thus the dose can be frontloaded instead of spread out - beads in capsules can be coated to control dosage rates or deliver one medication before another. I.e. if the active drug irritates the stomach a coating can counteract that or keep it from dissolving until it reaches the intestines. Extended release medications usually use these coatings to slow down absorption - capsules can carry multiple physically separated chemicals that are too reactive to be allowed to touch - the binders in the pill interfere with the medication - capsules can mask the taste better
- BearGrass 2y ago
  Could you tell me the source of these entries ？
readyplayernull 2y ago
If you look closely the content of a capsule is lots of tiny pills...
atmosx 2y ago
There are many factors that go into that decision. First and foremost is the way to deliver the _active substance_. Can be immediate (pills are not the best for immediate delivery), delayed (most common) or extended release (e.g. the AS gets released in doses over a period of time). Capsules IIRC can only deliver immediately but AS on capsules has faster absorption compared to pills. Cost is another factor: AFAIK pills are usually cheaper - although I don't work at the industry so don't quote on me on this. So it's the way you want to be delivered, characteristics of the AS, cost, etc. source: I have a 5-year degree (EU) in Pharmaceutical Sciences.

9 points by litoE 2y ago

codingdave 2y ago

Different speeds of action, different densities of medicine, shelf lives, etc. Form follows function and all that.

solardev 2y ago
What about the same medicine and dosage available in both forms? Like a lot of over the counter painkillers or anti inflammatory drugs can be either/or. Is there any big difference between them?
- mikequinlan 2y ago
  Capsules can be more expensive (there is an extra step in the manufacturing process) but can be easier for some people to swallow.

486sx33 2y ago

Sometimes half a pill comes in a capsule!

throwup238 2y ago

Capsules are more expensive and can’t be easily split by patients so pills are generally preferred by manufacturers. Reasons to use capsules: - they protect the medicine better from light and moisture and oxygen than tablets - powder in capsules dissolves faster, more evenly and thus the dose can be frontloaded instead of spread out - beads in capsules can be coated to control dosage rates or deliver one medication before another. I.e. if the active drug irritates the stomach a coating can counteract that or keep it from dissolving until it reaches the intestines. Extended release medications usually use these coatings to slow down absorption - capsules can carry multiple physically separated chemicals that are too reactive to be allowed to touch - the binders in the pill interfere with the medication - capsules can mask the taste better

BearGrass 2y ago
Could you tell me the source of these entries ？

readyplayernull 2y ago

If you look closely the content of a capsule is lots of tiny pills...

atmosx 2y ago

There are many factors that go into that decision. First and foremost is the way to deliver the _active substance_. Can be immediate (pills are not the best for immediate delivery), delayed (most common) or extended release (e.g. the AS gets released in doses over a period of time). Capsules IIRC can only deliver immediately but AS on capsules has faster absorption compared to pills. Cost is another factor: AFAIK pills are usually cheaper - although I don't work at the industry so don't quote on me on this. So it's the way you want to be delivered, characteristics of the AS, cost, etc. source: I have a 5-year degree (EU) in Pharmaceutical Sciences.