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Adam's
ProHealth/Mucinex
Letter sent to GUAI-SUPPORT list, May 9
2003
Subject: [GG] GUAI: Mucinex - cutting the tablet to divide the dose
Hi all,
Most of the previous prescription guai was scored. We have been told that the
scoring is what allows one to cut a pill without affecting it's LA (long acting)
properties. Mucinex tablets are not scored. I contacted Adams, the manufacturer
of Mucinex in order to determine if one could divide the dose of their 600 mg
tablet since there is no score line. Adams does not recommend that the tablets
be cut because of the effect it will have on the long acting property. According
to them, they were specifically asked by the FDA not to score their tablets so
they have no plans to score them in the future.
As previously reported to the list, all of the LA guai manufacturers that we
contacted (5) stated that the slow release of their guaifenesin was accomplished
by compressing the active ingredient with other ingredients, for example
methylethylcellulose. Typically the methylethylcellulose (or whatever ingredient
is used for this) turns into a gel when exposed to fluids, allowing for the
release of the active ingredient (guai). Because of the way they are compressed,
the active ingredient is dispersed equally throughout the product. Adams
confirmed that Mucinex is also a compressed tablet and although there are some
differences in the ingredients, they work the same way that the previous
compressed tablets worked. There is one difference in that not all of the
Mucinex tablet is compressed, there is a top layer of QA guai.
Since both Adams and previous LA guai's are compressed and the ingredients are
evenly dispersed throughout, I wondered why a scored tablet would preserve the
LA mechanism better than an unscored tablet. I contacted a pharmacologist and
found out that the difference between scored and unscored compressed tablets is
related to how easy the tablet can be cut into equal portions and how much
medication is lost due to shredding (where a portion of the tablet breaks into
smaller pieces). With the scoring, it is easier to get equal amounts of
medication thereby getting closer to 1/2 tablet per dose. Without the score, one
may get 60% for one dose and 40% for the next dose. We think that for our
purposes, a little lack of balance in each dose probably doesn't matter for the
average person. With
scoring, it is easier to keep the tablet from shredding. Some of the medication
may be lost altogether because it essentially turns into dust.
The pharmacologist suggested that one could use a razor blade to score each
tablet but it would be time consuming. I tried a pill cutter and I lost about 5%
of the pill to shredding and the portions were slightly irregular but not too
far off. I tried cutting with a pair of scissors and that worked OK but each
portion was a little more irregular and the QA (white side) didn't cut evenly
through to the compressed side (blue) so the edges were jagged making each side
appear even less equal in dose. If cutting
with a pill cutter, I think you will get better results if you cut from the
compressed side of the pill first so that the blade initially hits the blue side
first. Once cut, you might not want to put the other 1/2 in with the
rest of your pills because I think you will be likely to lose more of the pill
as it may crumble further.
It does not appear that scoring (in and of itself), will make a difference to
the LA mechanism one way or the other for these particular tablets. Please
keep in mind that this discussion only applies to these types of compressed
tablets. It could very well make a difference in other types of medications.
As far as I know, Mucinex is the only LA guai available now except for the few
prescriptions that may be available from pharmacies that still have a supply of
prescription guai. For those of you who do not want Mucinex but still want LA
guai, you may want to consider getting your guai from a compounding pharmacy. My
understanding is that they can compound any dose of LA guai.
Warm Regards,
Terry K
GG Project Assistant
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