How To Take Half of a Capsule?

1.Why Do You Need to Administer A Half Capsule?

Capsule dose divided into half

Dosage forms like pills, tablets and capsules sometimes need to be sectioned into two halves (almost equally or equally fair) for multiple reasons. You might need to dispense half dose of a capsule for complying with patient factors, whether you’re the guardian of your patient or you yourself need to take a divided dose of your capsule. You will come to know why, after reading these factors below:

Patient Compliance

There are certain categories of patients who are unwilling to swallow capsules because of its large size and oblong shape. Geriatric or old age people find trouble in engulfing the capsule as whole and so it can be taken as half. Similarly, children or paediatric patients would have anxiety or a severe gag reflex which makes capsule swallowing difficult for them. Hence upon advise by a pharmacist the capsule can be halved to provide some ease for it to be swallowed.

Diseases

Older patients getting affected by neurological disorders such as dementia or Parkinson’s disease, xerostomia or any problem affecting their throat and oesophagus makes it harder to swallow a capsule. People facing gastrointestinal disturbance might also avoid gulping down a whole capsule as it might get stuck down their oesophagus and cause burning sensation making them feel anxious and sick.

Divided Doses

The needs of divided doses- Picture Courtesy: Hirsch Organic

Some people might want to take half of a high dose capsule to divide doses as per their healthcare provider’s instruction. Others might need to just cut down on their financial costs by keeping the remaining capsule for next dose use. Few drugs are available designed in non standard dosage, for those capsules you would require to half it down and take your prescribed amount only. However it’s very much unlikely for a capsule to be lowered into two doses, and you will read about this further in our blog.

2.How To Take Half Of A Capsule?

Transferring Capsule Content Into Water

Despite of capsules being suitable to be divided into two doses or not , interestingly one can take half of their capsules too only if they require to do so.

Taking half of a capsule is not alike taking half of a tablet. This is because of the conformational structure of a capsule varies from that of a tablet. Capsules are made up of shell closings that have two parts; the cap and the body. To open up a capsule in order to take half of it, you will need to slightly twist it open back and forth and transfer the contents, leaving behind empty shell of capsule.

The twisted open half capsule would reveal small fine granules of drug substance or a powder form of drug . Either of the both drug substance can be taken with water or sprinkled on foods or dispersed in drinks and engulfed with greater compliance.

Sprinkler capsules’ content should be mixed with soft paste like food such as yoghurt, jam, honey or fruit squash. Capsules should not be cut into divided doses with a knife or crushed by any tool, it is preferable that you purchase an inexpensive pill cutter that would be available at any pharmacy to ensure proper sectioning of drug in adequacy.

For e.g.: If you’ve 50 mg of a capsule of which you require to take 30 mg, you’ll need to disperse and dissolve the contents of capsule by mixing it vigorously in 5 ml of water and then pull via syringe or pour out 3 ml of it into a graduated medicine spoon.

You will still need to consult your pharmacist for any helpful guidelines or check the medicine label for certain advises.

3.Can You Take Half Of A Gelatin Capsule Also?

Gelatin Capsule Halved – Picture courtesy: Nutraingredients 

Whether you can take half of a gelatinous capsule or not depends on the type of capsule formulation and the intended use of capsule. Type of capsule formulation such as if it is gelatin based hard shelled capsule or it is gelatin based soft capsule.
If it a hard shelled gelatinous capsule it might be able to get halved, although if it is a soft gelled capsule you won’t be able to half it actually but you may squirt out the liquid drug into a small container or spoon.

Dividing a hard shelled gelatin capsule would simply means that you’re going to twist it open and transfer half the content for dispensing. But there are certain restrictions and limitations upon which few medicines cannot be halved. Medicines like extended release capsules, enteric coated capsules and narrow therapeutic capsules should never be halved as it might result in harmful or even fatal consequences.

Although the advent of gelatinous capsules as a dosage form had eliminated quite greatly the problem of swallowing because they are smoother in texture specially when aided by a big gulp of water or milk.

4.Can Administering Half Of A Capsule Affect Efficacy?

Efficacy Of Half – Picture courtesy: Vecteezay

Capsules should not be split, crushed or opened until suggested by your medical provider. Although your pill might have a score line, you will still have to crosscheck with your pharmacist first to ensure that you can safely split it in half or not. This is because all capsules cannot be effectively halved for divided dose administration.

For instance, capsules that have a particular coating (enteric-coated pills) or those which are delivered into the body in a certain way, like extended-release (ER), sustained-release (SR) or long-acting (LA) medicines should usually not be split, cut, crushed or chewed.
This will be affecting the release properties of the drug and it’s rate of absorption too, which may cause a disastrous overdose in some cases. Then there are narrow therapeutic index drugs too which needs careful monitoring of their drug levels in your bloodstream.

Contraceptives, anti-cancer, anti-biotic, hypertensive drugs should not also be administered in half .Taking a half of any such capsule would mean that the drug would either be released too fast in your body resulting in toxic adverse effects or it would release ineffective amount or wrong dose of drug for an immediate required onset of response.
Too much of a drug will cause a toxic overdose while too little might not even give you the intended effects. Cutting a capsule would also expose your medication to environmental factors such as air, heat, and moisture, potentially making it lower in efficacy.

5.Is Taking Half Capsule Safe?

Taking Half Capsule May not be Safe- Picture Courtesy: Medication Management

Due to some reasons, it is not safe to administer half capsule. However, in some cases your healthcare provider suggests you take half capsule which is prepared under controlled conditions. Why it is not safe; you’ll be understand by reading below reasons.

You Cannot Obtain Accurate Dose

No dose accuracy- picture courtesy: business standard

As you know, capsule shell encloses specific and accurate concentrations of active ingredients and fillers. When you break or split the capsule, it may result in inaccurate dose which is not safe and not as effective as it could be.

GI Linning Irritation

Not safe for GI lining

The purpose of enclosing therapeutic active ingredients in capsule shell is to deliver safe drug at its active site without any harming GI lining. However, opening capsule shell in to half may expose interaction of drug directly over GI lining which in returns enhance the potential irritation and harm the patient.

May Worsen Your Pathology

Affects dose releasing – picture courtesy: the Guardian

Some capsules are designed to be release or disintegrate under a controlled time which is known as sustain release or extended-release product formulation. When you make them half capsule, it may disrupt the exact intended role and mechanism of action. It ultimately results in an inconsistent or rapid unwanted action.

Affects Stability

Drug Stability Issues- Picture Courtesy: Journal of Pharmaceutical

Taking half capsule may results in compromising of medicinal stability that renders no effectivity and may results in patient harm.

Conclusion

Capsules are not intended to be split, cut, crushed or chewed unless your healthcare provider has advised to do so. It also depends upon the category of drug substance it is holding and it’s type of formulation. Some capsules are of modified release dosages, some are enteric coated, and some have potentially narrow therapeutic drugs which might result in toxic effects for the patient. However splitting of capsules as per your required needs has now been generalized in many people’s mindset due to it enabling patient compliance, dose division and also in terms of cost reduction. If you’ve any questions in your mind about ‘How to take half of a Capsule’! Please message us right now, our expert will soon contact to answer your queries.