Calcium Acetate Versus Calcium Carbonate as Oral Phosphate Binder: Preparation and in Vitro Assessment

Calcium acetate is used as an oral phosphate binder to control hyperphosphatemiain patients with chronic renal failure. compared to calcium carbonate,control of hyperphosphatemia can be achieved at lower calcium administration withcalcium acetate which likely reduces the risk of hypercalcemia. in this study,various formulations of calcium acetate tablets were prepared and their disintegrationtimes, dissolution rates and phosphate binding capacities were determined. dissolutiontest was carried out using the paddle method according to the united statespharmacopoeia (usp xxiii). the binding efficiency of the tablets was comparedby measuring the amount of insoluble phosphate after mixing with a sodiumphosphate solution at ph 6. calcium acetate tablets had a mean content of 809.6 mgof calcium acetate and a mean weight of 1087 mg. the average breaking load anddisintegration times were 66.4±5.5 n and 24.5±2.1 min, respectively. drug releaseafter 30 and 60 min were 80.45% and 101.42%, respectively. the amount of nondissolvedphosphorus following 60 min incubation of calcium acetate and/orcalcium carbonate tablets were 372.8 mg (61.2%) and 463.2 mg (76.0%), respectively.weight variation, friability, disintegration time, and dissolution rate of calciumacetate