Formulation Guide
Enteric-Coated
Acid-resistant polymer shell
This tool shows mechanism, verdict, and alternative data only — not patient-specific advice. A “can crush” result is a general guide, not a guarantee for your exact product: the same ingredient can differ by brand, manufacturer, and formulation. Data comes from U.S. drug labels and covers a limited set of medicines — if a drug isn’t listed, that is not a green light to crush it. Always confirm with your pharmacist or physician before altering how a medication is administered.
How it works
Enteric coating uses polymers (e.g., cellulose acetate phthalate, HPMCP, Eudragit L/S) that remain intact at gastric pH (pH < 3) but dissolve at the higher pH of the small intestine (pH > 5.5). This protects acid-labile drugs from gastric degradation, shields the gastric mucosa from irritating compounds (e.g., aspirin), and targets drug delivery to the intestine.
Why crushing or splitting is risky
Crushing an enteric-coated tablet destroys the protective polymer coat. The drug is then released in the stomach, exposing acid-labile compounds to degradation and bypassing the intended site of absorption. For gastric-irritant drugs such as enteric aspirin or diclofenac, crushing can cause significant gastrointestinal injury. For proton-pump inhibitors, premature acid exposure inactivates the drug before it reaches its site of action.