Lactitol ranks among sugar alcohols which are employed as dry binders in the manufacture of tablets, particularly the chewable ones.Water-granulated lactitol is the directly compacting form of this substance. The present paper studies the compressibility of the granulated form of lactitol and the effects of different concentrations of the lubricant magnesium stearate on the strength and disintegration time of the compacts from his substance. Lactitol cannot be compressed without an added lubricant. Magnesium stearate, employed in two concentrations, 0.4 % and 0.8 %, did not negatively interfere with the strength of the compacts. The disintegration period of tablets was prolonged with increasing stearate concentration, but independently of compression force.

        Key words: direct compacting – lactitol – magnesium stearate – tensile strength of tablets – disintegration time of tablets