Pharmacy Courses

Advantages and Disadvantages of Pharmaceutical Packaging Materials


Packaging material is an important part of a pharmaceutical product. The choice of pharmaceutical packaging material is a critical part of a product development due to its relation with product stability.


Commonly used pharmaceutical packaging materials include glass bottle, plastic bottle, aluminum foil etc. Here, we try to mention the advantages and disadvantages of commonly used pharmaceutical packaging materials -


Glass Bottle

Advantages: 

  • Great protection power
  • They are available in both amber and transparent form
  • Easy to labelled
  • Variety of sizes and shapes are available
  • Different types of glasses are also available
  • High resistance to leeching


Disadvantages:

  • Fragile
  • Bulky
  • Sometimes release alkali in aqueous preparation 


Plastic Bottle/Container

Advantages:

  • Easy to carry, flexible
  • Less bulky
  • Extremely resistant to breakage
  • Variety of sizes and shapes
  • Cost effective


Disadvantages:

  • Less resistance to leeching compare to glass bottle
  • Low heat resistant
  • Chance to interact between the product and the container


HDPE Bottle

Advantages:

  • Excellent chemical resistance
  • Excellent water vapour barrier
  • Comparatively low cost
  • Durable and lightweight


Disadvantages:

  • High Thermal Expansion
  • Highly Flammable
  • Sensitive to Stress Cracking


Rubber Stopper

Advantages:

  • Tightly packs the container
  • Air and fluid proof
  • Variety of size and shape
  • Easy to maintain and durable


Disadvantages:

  • Expensive
  • Chance to interact with chemicals and petroleum derivatives


Aluminum foil

Advantages:

  • Light, air and moisture resistant
  • Stable at high and low temperature
  • Non-toxic & odorless


Disadvantages

  • Easily dented and scratched
  • Comparatively expensive


PVC Foil

Advantages:

  • Inexpensive
  • Light weight
  • Ease of thermoforming
  • Air proof


Disadvantages:

  • Poor heat stabile
  • Poor barrier against moisture ingress


PVDC Foil

Advantages:

  • Very good heat sealing capacity
  • Higher moisture barrier
  • Higher oxygen barrier


Disadvantages:

  • Expensive compare to PVC foil
 

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