Taste masking drug stability

Figure 1 Functions of enteric coatings according to the statements of the pharmaceutical manufacturer. 1, Taste masking 2, stability 3, protection against local irritation 4, drug release in specific parts 5, odor masking.

In the pharmaceutical industry, ion-exchange resins are used for drug stabilization and as aids for tablet disintegration. Ion exchangers are also used for taste masking, for sustained-release products, as topical products for application to skin, and for ophthalmic or nasal delivery.4... 

Coating of solid dosage forms allows facing up to a variety of formulation demands taste masking, improvement of appearance, easy swallowing, prolonged stability and spatiotemporal control of drug release [24, 25]. 

Cyclodextrins (CDs) have a wide range of application in the pharmaceutical field due to their unique structure, which allows them to include hydrophobic molecules in their apolar cavity and to mask the physicochemical properties of the included molecule. This results in the enhancement of drug bioavailability by improving aqueous solubility and the physical and chemical stability of the drug, masking undesired side effects such as irritation, taste, or odor, and overcoming compatibility problems or interactions between drugs and excipients. 

Cyclodextrins are not new molecular entities. They were first reported a century ago. However, it is only relatively recently that their potential as formulation aids has been recognized. Their capability to stabilize labile drugs has already been mentioned. They can also be used to solubilize highly insoluble molecules as, with the insertion of the drug in the annulus, the complex largely acquires the solubility characteristics of the cyclodextrin (Fig. 5). Inclusion complexes have also been used to successfully mask taste or odor, reduce sublimation of drugs with high volatility, and enhance thermal stability. ... 

A suspension is often chosen as pharmaceutical dosage form for drugs insoluble in water and aqueous fluids at the dosage required for administration and when attempts to solubilize the drug would compromise stability and safety. For oral administration, the taste of a bitter or unpleasant drug can often be masked by choosing an insoluble form of the active drug. 

The main use of ethylcellulose in oral formulations is as a hydrophobic coating agent for tablets and granules. Ethylcellulose coatings are used to modify the release of a drug, to mask an unpleasant taste, or to improve the stability of a formulation for example, where granules are coated with ethylcellulose to inhibit oxidation. Modified-release tablet formulations mav also be produced using ethylcellulose as a matrix former. " ... 

In an azithromycin dry syrup micronized crospovidone not only stabilizes the suspension physically but also maskes the bitter taste of the drug substance [615]. The formulation given in Table 145 was also developed on a laboratory scale and demonstrates the use of micronized crospovidone in an antiacid dry syrup from which a suspension is prepared as the administration form. 

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