This study aimed to examine the adhesion of glibenclamide 5 mg tablets to the tools of compression machines. This problem is not commonly reported in the literature, since it is considered as tacit knowledge. The starting point was the implementation of three technical alternatives: changing the parameters of compression, evaluating the humidity of the powder blend and the manufacturer of the lubricant magnesium stearate. The adhesion was directly related to the characteristics of magnesium stearate from different manufacturers, and the feasibility of evaluating powder flow characteristics by different techniques that are not routinely followed in various pharmaceutical companies. In vitro dissolution tests showed that the magnesium stearate manufacturer can influence on the dissolution profile of glibenclamide tablets. This study presented various aspects of tablet adhesion to compression machine punches. Troubleshooting approaches can be, most of times, conducted based on previous experience, or an experimental research needs to be implemented in order to have confident results.
Keywords: Adhesion; Glibenclamide; Magnesium stearate; Tableting.