For what purpose might a tablet be coated?

Coating a tablet serves several significant purposes, with one of the primary functions being to mask unpleasant tastes and protect the active pharmaceutical ingredient. Many drugs have a bitter or otherwise undesirable taste that can be off-putting to patients, especially children. A coating can provide a barrier that inhibits the taste from reaching the tongue, making the medication easier to swallow and improving patient compliance.

Additionally, coatings can also serve to protect the drug from environmental factors such as moisture, light, and oxygen. Some active ingredients can be unstable or degrade when exposed to these elements, so a protective coating can help maintain the drug's potency and efficacy during storage and use. In certain formulations, coatings can also be employed to control the release rate of the drug within the gastrointestinal tract, either delaying or extending it as needed.

Other options, while related to tablet formulation, do not capture the primary reasons for coating in the same way. For example, enhancing size and weight is generally not a reason for coating; rather, size and weight are typically determined by the formulation and compression process. Similarly, while increasing dispersibility can be a feature of some formulations, this is more directly related to the choice of excipients and the manufacturing process, rather than the coating itself. Lastly, changing texture