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Steiner D, Meyer A, Immohr LI, Pein-Hackelbusch M. Critical View on the Qualification of Electronic Tongues Regarding Their Performance in the Development of Peroral Drug Formulations with Bitter Ingredients. Pharmaceutics 2024; 16:658. [PMID: 38794320 PMCID: PMC11125162 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics16050658] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2024] [Revised: 05/03/2024] [Accepted: 05/09/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024] Open
Abstract
In this review, we aim to highlight the advantages, challenges, and limitations of electronic tongues (e-tongues) in pharmaceutical drug development. The authors, therefore, critically evaluated the performance of e-tongues regarding their qualification to assess peroral formulations containing bitter active pharmaceutical ingredients. A literature search using the keywords 'electronic', 'tongue', 'bitter', and 'drug' in a Web of Science search was therefore initially conducted. Reviewing the publications of the past decade, and further literature where necessary, allowed the authors to discuss whether and how e-tongues perform as expected and whether they have the potential to become a standard tool in drug development. Specifically highlighted are the expectations an e-tongue should meet. Further, a brief insight into the technologies of the utilized e-tongues is given. Reliable protocols were found that enable (i) the qualified performance of e-tongue instruments from an analytical perspective, (ii) proper taste-masking assessments, and (iii) under certain circumstances, the evaluation of bitterness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Denise Steiner
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Technology and Biopharmaceutics, University of Muenster, Corrensstraße 48, 48149 Muenster, Germany;
| | - Alexander Meyer
- Institute for Life Science Technologies (ILT.NRW), Ostwestfalen-Lippe University of Applied Sciences and Arts, Campusallee 12, 32657 Lemgo, Germany
| | | | - Miriam Pein-Hackelbusch
- Institute for Life Science Technologies (ILT.NRW), Ostwestfalen-Lippe University of Applied Sciences and Arts, Campusallee 12, 32657 Lemgo, Germany
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2
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Ranmal SR, Nhouchi Z, Keeley A, Adler L, Lavarde M, Pensé-Lhéritier AM, Tuleu C. Taste assessment for paediatric drug Development: A comparison of bitterness taste aversion in children versus Naïve and expert young adult assessors. Int J Pharm 2023; 647:123494. [PMID: 37806503 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpharm.2023.123494] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2023] [Revised: 10/01/2023] [Accepted: 10/05/2023] [Indexed: 10/10/2023]
Abstract
Medicines for children often taste bitter, presenting a significant challenge to treatment compliance. However, most studies on paediatric drug development rely on adult volunteers for sensory research, and the level of expertise required from these assessors is unclear. This study aimed to address this gap by investigating perceived bitterness aversion to taste strips impregnated with different concentrations of quinine hydrochloride in 439 school-aged children. Expert (n = 26) and naïve (n = 65) young adult assessors evaluated quinine solutions as well as taste strips, for methodological bridging purposes. All assessors differentiated the aversiveness of the taste strips in a dose dependent manner. Younger children aged 4-8 years had difficulty discriminating higher bitter concentrations, whereas pre-adolescents 9-11 years and naive adults showed better discrimination at the top of the scale. Naive assessors showed similar bitter perception as children. However, the results were slightly different between strips and solution in adults. These findings highlight the key role that adult panels can play in paediatric formulation development. Taste strips show promise as a safe and pragmatic tool for sensory pharmaceutical evaluations, though further studies are warranted to establish the relationship between age and hedonic taste perception using compounds with diverse physicochemical and sensory qualities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sejal R Ranmal
- UCL School of Pharmacy, University College London, 29-39, Brunswick Square, London WC1N 1AX, UK.
| | - Zeineb Nhouchi
- Ecole de Biologie Industrielle - EBI, UPR EBInnov®, 49, Avenue des Genottes CS90009 95895, Cergy-Pontoise, France.
| | - Alexander Keeley
- UCL School of Pharmacy, University College London, 29-39, Brunswick Square, London WC1N 1AX, UK.
| | - Lisa Adler
- Ecole de Biologie Industrielle - EBI, UPR EBInnov®, 49, Avenue des Genottes CS90009 95895, Cergy-Pontoise, France.
| | - Marc Lavarde
- Ecole de Biologie Industrielle - EBI, UPR EBInnov®, 49, Avenue des Genottes CS90009 95895, Cergy-Pontoise, France.
| | - Anne-Marie Pensé-Lhéritier
- Ecole de Biologie Industrielle - EBI, UPR EBInnov®, 49, Avenue des Genottes CS90009 95895, Cergy-Pontoise, France.
| | - Catherine Tuleu
- UCL School of Pharmacy, University College London, 29-39, Brunswick Square, London WC1N 1AX, UK.
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Clapham D, Belissa E, Inghelbrecht S, Pensé-Lhéritier AM, Ruiz F, Sheehan L, Shine M, Vallet T, Walsh J, Tuleu C. A Guide to Best Practice in Sensory Analysis of Pharmaceutical Formulations. Pharmaceutics 2023; 15:2319. [PMID: 37765288 PMCID: PMC10535428 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics15092319] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2023] [Revised: 08/25/2023] [Accepted: 09/06/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
It is well established that treatment regime compliance is linked to the acceptability of a pharmaceutical formulation, and hence also to therapeutic outcomes. To that end, acceptability must be assessed during the development of all pharmaceutical products and especially for those intended for paediatric patients. Although acceptability is a multifaceted concept, poor sensory characteristics often contribute to poor patient acceptability. In particular, poor taste is often cited as a major reason for many patients, especially children, to refuse to take their medicine. It is thus important to understand and, as far as possible, optimise the sensory characteristics and, in particular, the taste/flavour/mouthfeel of the formulation throughout the development of the product. Sensory analysis has been widely practiced, providing objective data concerning the sensory aspects of food and cosmetic products. In this paper, we present proposals concerning how the well-established principles of sensory analysis can best be applied to pharmaceutical product development, allowing objective, scientifically valid, sensory data to be obtained safely. We briefly discuss methodologies that may be helpful in reducing the number of samples that may need to be assessed by human volunteers. However, it is only possible to be sure whether or not the sensory characteristics of a pharmaceutical product are non-aversive to potential users by undertaking sensory assessments in human volunteers. Testing is also required during formulation assessment and to ensure that the sensory characteristics remain acceptable throughout the product shelf life. We provide a risk assessment procedure to aid developers to define where studies are low risk, the results of a survey of European regulators on their views concerning such studies, and detailed guidance concerning the types of sensory studies that can be undertaken at each phase of product development, along with guidance about the practicalities of performing such sensory studies. We hope that this guidance will also lead to the development of internationally agreed standards between industry and regulators concerning how these aspects should be measured and assessed throughout the development process and when writing and evaluating regulatory submissions. Finally, we hope that the guidance herein will help formulators as they seek to develop better medicines for all patients and, in particular, paediatric patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Clapham
- Independent Researcher, Bishop’s Stortford CM23 4FQ, UK
| | | | | | | | - Fabrice Ruiz
- ClinSearch, 92240 Malakoff, France; (F.R.); (T.V.)
| | - Liz Sheehan
- SRL Pharma, T12 XF62 Cork, Ireland; (L.S.); (M.S.)
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4
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Cirri M, Mura P, Benedetti S, Buratti S. Development of a Hydroxypropyl-β-Cyclodextrin-Based Liquid Formulation for the Oral Administration of Propranolol in Pediatric Therapy. Pharmaceutics 2023; 15:2217. [PMID: 37765186 PMCID: PMC10534794 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics15092217] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2023] [Revised: 08/24/2023] [Accepted: 08/25/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Propranolol (PPN) is widely used in children to treat various cardiovascular diseases. The availability of a suitable PPN solution should avoid recourse to extemporaneous preparations of unknown/limited stability, as commonly made in hospital pharmacies. However, the development of pediatric PPN solutions is hindered by their instability to light and stability at pH ≈ 3, bitter taste, and the need to improve palatability and avoid co-solvents, flavoring agents, or preservatives that are potentially toxic. In this study, cyclodextrin (CD) complexation has been exploited to develop a safe, stable, and palatable oral pediatric solution of PPN. An initial screening among various CDs allowed us to select HPβCD for its good complexing ability and no toxicity. Drug-HPβCD physical mixtures or co-ground systems (1:1 or 1:2 mol:mol) were used to prepare 0.2% w/v drug solutions. Photo stability studies evidenced the protective effect of HPβCD, revealing a reduction of up to 75% in the drug degradation rate after 1 h of exposure to UV radiation. Storage stability studies showed unchanged physical-chemical properties and almost constant drug concentration after 6 months and under accelerated conditions (40 °C), despite the less aggressive pH (≈5.5) of the solution. The electronic tongue test proved that the HPβCD taste-masking properties improved the formulation palatability, with a 30% reduction in drug bitterness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marzia Cirri
- Department of Chemistry Ugo Schiff (DICUS), University of Florence, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Italy;
| | - Paola Mura
- Department of Chemistry Ugo Schiff (DICUS), University of Florence, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Italy;
| | - Simona Benedetti
- Department of Food, Environmental and Nutritional Sciences (DeFENS), University of Milan, 20133 Milan, Italy; (S.B.); (S.B.)
| | - Susanna Buratti
- Department of Food, Environmental and Nutritional Sciences (DeFENS), University of Milan, 20133 Milan, Italy; (S.B.); (S.B.)
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Bashir S, Fitaihi R, Abdelhakim HE. Advances in formulation and manufacturing strategies for the delivery of therapeutic proteins and peptides in orally disintegrating dosage forms. Eur J Pharm Sci 2023; 182:106374. [PMID: 36623699 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejps.2023.106374] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2022] [Revised: 01/05/2023] [Accepted: 01/05/2023] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Therapeutic proteins and peptides (TPPs) are increasingly favoured above small drug molecules due to their high specificity to the site of action and reduced adverse effects resulting in increased use of these agents for medical treatments and therapies. Consequently, there is a need to formulate TPPs in dosage forms that are accessible and suitable for a wide range of patient groups as the use of TPPs becomes increasingly prevalent in healthcare settings worldwide. Orally disintegrating dosage forms (ODDF) are formulations that can ensure easy-to-administer medication to a wider patient population including paediatrics, geriatrics and people in low-resource countries. There are many challenges involved in developing suitable pharmaceutical strategies to protect TPPs during formulation and manufacturing, as well as storage, and maintenance of a cold-chain during transportation. This review will discuss advances being made in the research and development of pharmaceutical and manufacturing strategies used to incorporate various TPPs into ODDF systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shazia Bashir
- School of Cancer and Pharmaceutical Sciences, King's College London, Franklin-Wilkins Building, 150 Stamford Street, London SE1 9NH, UK
| | - Rawan Fitaihi
- Department of Pharmaceutics, UCL School of Pharmacy, 29-39 Brunswick Square, London WC1N 1AX, UK; Department of Pharmaceutics, College of pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh, KSA
| | - Hend E Abdelhakim
- Department of Pharmaceutics, UCL School of Pharmacy, 29-39 Brunswick Square, London WC1N 1AX, UK.
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6
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Hu S, Liu X, Zhang S, Quan D. An Overview of Taste-Masking Technologies: Approaches, Application, and Assessment Methods. AAPS PharmSciTech 2023; 24:67. [PMID: 36788171 DOI: 10.1208/s12249-023-02520-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2022] [Accepted: 01/24/2023] [Indexed: 02/16/2023] Open
Abstract
It is well-known that plenty of active pharmaceutical ingredients (API) inherently possess an unpleasant taste, which influences the acceptance of patients, especially children. Therefore, manufacturing taste-masked dosage forms has attracted a lot of attention. This review describes in detail the taste-masking technologies based on the difference in the taste transmission mechanism which is currently available. In particular, the review highlights the application of various methods, with a special focus on how to screen the appropriate masking technology according to the properties of API. Subsequently, we overviewed how to assess taste-masking efficacy, guiding researchers to rationally design taste-masking formulations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuqin Hu
- Institute of Advanced Drug Delivery Technology, No.10 Xinghuo Avenue Jiangbei New Area, Nanjing, 210032, People's Republic of China.,China Pharmaceutical University, No. 639 Longmian Avenue, Nanjing, 211198, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiaoxuan Liu
- China Pharmaceutical University, No. 639 Longmian Avenue, Nanjing, 211198, People's Republic of China
| | - Shuangshuang Zhang
- Institute of Advanced Drug Delivery Technology, No.10 Xinghuo Avenue Jiangbei New Area, Nanjing, 210032, People's Republic of China
| | - Danyi Quan
- Institute of Advanced Drug Delivery Technology, No.10 Xinghuo Avenue Jiangbei New Area, Nanjing, 210032, People's Republic of China.
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7
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De León G, Fröhlich E, Fink E, Di Pizio A, Salar-Behzadi S. Premexotac: Machine learning bitterants predictor for advancing pharmaceutical development. Int J Pharm 2022; 628:122263. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpharm.2022.122263] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2022] [Revised: 09/27/2022] [Accepted: 09/29/2022] [Indexed: 10/31/2022]
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Application of Multiple-Source Data Fusion for the Discrimination of Two Botanical Origins of Magnolia Officinalis Cortex Based on E-Nose Measurements, E-Tongue Measurements, and Chemical Analysis. Molecules 2022; 27:molecules27123892. [PMID: 35745013 PMCID: PMC9229508 DOI: 10.3390/molecules27123892] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2022] [Revised: 06/02/2022] [Accepted: 06/14/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Magnolia officinalis Rehd. et Wils. and Magnolia officinalis Rehd. et Wils. var. biloba Rehd. et Wils, as the legal botanical origins of Magnoliae Officinalis Cortex, are almost impossible to distinguish according to their appearance traits with respect to medicinal bark. The application of AFLP molecular markers for differentiating the two origins has not yet been successful. In this study, a combination of e-nose measurements, e-tongue measurements, and chemical analyses coupled with multiple-source data fusion was used to differentiate the two origins. Linear discriminant analysis (LDA) and quadratic discriminant analysis (QDA) were applied to compare the discrimination results. It was shown that the e-nose system presented a good discriminant ability with a low classification error for both LDA and QDA compared with e-tongue measurements and chemical analyses. In addition, the discriminating capacity of LDA for low-level fusion with original data, similar to a combined system, was superior or equal to that acquired individually with the three approaches. For mid-level fusion, the combination of different principals extracted by PCA and variables obtained on the basis of PLS-VIP exhibited an analogous discrimination ability for LDA (classification error 0.0%) and was significantly superior to QDA (classification error 1.67-3.33%). As a result, the combined e-nose, e-tongue, and chemical analysis approach proved to be a powerful tool for differentiating the two origins of Magnoliae Officinalis Cortex.
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9
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Naser Zaid A, Al Ramahi R, AlKilany A, Abu-Khalaf N, El Kharouf M, Abu Dayeh D, Al-omari L, Yaqoup M. Following drug degradation and consequent taste deterioration of an oral reconstituted paediatric suspension during dosing interval via electronic tongue. Saudi Pharm J 2022; 30:555-561. [PMID: 35693442 PMCID: PMC9177456 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsps.2022.02.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2021] [Accepted: 02/27/2022] [Indexed: 10/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The taste of oral liquid dosage forms is a crucial factor that impacts pediatric patient compliance. Taste of suspensions can be typically evaluated by human volunteers. Recently, the electronic tongue (ET) has been proven as an emerging tool that could be useful to follow up various formulations' properties like taste and composition. This study aimed to evaluate the potential use of ET in assessing the taste deterioration of reconstituted oral suspensions and compare the results obtained with the typical in vivo panel taste method. Methods Four commercially available brands of amoxicillin/ clavulanic acid suspensions (one brand and three generic formulations) were reconstituted and stored in refrigerator to assess their taste on a daily basis. The taste of these products was assessed using Alpha-Astree ET and the obtained results were compared with those obtained from an in vivo panel taste assessment using a hedonic panel test (the 5-point hedonic scale). Results All evaluated suspensions exhibited similar trends. ET and in vivo analysis indicated low taste scores for all evaluated suspensions immediately after reconstitution, possibly due to the incomplete dissolution of sucrose. The scores for all formulations were higher on day 2, followed by a steady state for the next two days. After that, a significant decay in the scores was observed in the fifth day for all evaluated suspensions. ET results were in excellent agreement with the results obtained via in vivo panel test method. Conclusion The ET seems to be promising for testing the taste of pharmaceutical liquid preparations and evaluate possible deterioration upon storage or after reconstitution. It may provide a platform to avoid the involvement of pediatric volunteers in clinical evaluation and can be employed as a quality control tool during manufacturing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abdel Naser Zaid
- Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, An-Najah National University, Nablus P.O. Box 7, Palestine
| | - Rowa Al Ramahi
- Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, An-Najah National University, Nablus P.O. Box 7, Palestine
| | | | - Nawaf Abu-Khalaf
- College of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, Palestine Technical University-Kadoorie (PTUK), Tulkarm P.O. Box 7, Palestine
| | - Maher El Kharouf
- Quality Manager, Jerusalem Pharmaceuticals, Ramallah, P.O. Box: 3570, Palestine
| | - Dana Abu Dayeh
- Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, An-Najah National University, Nablus P.O. Box 7, Palestine
| | - Leena Al-omari
- Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, An-Najah National University, Nablus P.O. Box 7, Palestine
| | - Mohammad Yaqoup
- Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, An-Najah National University, Nablus P.O. Box 7, Palestine
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Lopalco A, Manni A, Keeley A, Haider S, Li W, Lopedota A, Altomare CD, Denora N, Tuleu C. In Vivo Investigation of (2-Hydroxypropyl)-β-cyclodextrin-Based Formulation of Spironolactone in Aqueous Solution for Paediatric Use. Pharmaceutics 2022; 14:pharmaceutics14040780. [PMID: 35456614 PMCID: PMC9029429 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics14040780] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2022] [Revised: 03/16/2022] [Accepted: 03/30/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Spironolactone (SPL), a potent anti-aldosterone steroidal drug used to treat several diseases in paediatric patients (e.g., hypertension, primary aldosteronism, Bartter’s syndrome, and congestive heart failure), is not available in child-friendly dosage forms, and spironolactone liquids have been reported to be unpalatable. Aiming to enhance SPL solubility in aqueous solution and overcome palatability, herein, the effects of (2-hydroxypropyl)-β-cyclodextrin (HP-β-CyD) were thoroughly investigated on solubilisation in water and on masking the unpleasant taste of SPL in vivo. Although the complexation of SPL with HP-β-CyD was demonstrated through phase solubility studies, Job’s plot, NMR and computational docking studies, our in vivo tests did not show significant effects on taste aversion. Our findings, on the one hand, suggest that the formation of an inclusion complex of SPL with HP-β-CyD itself is not necessarily a good indicator for an acceptable degree of palatability, whereas, on the other hand, they constitute the basis for investigating other cyclodextrin-based formulations of the poorly water-soluble steroidal drug, including solid dosage forms, such as spray-dried powders and orodispersible tablets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonio Lopalco
- Department of Pharmacy-Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Bari “Aldo Moro”, 70125 Bari, Italy; (A.L.); (A.L.); (C.D.A.)
| | - Annachiara Manni
- School of Pharmacy, University College of London, 29/39 Brunswick Square, London WC1N 1AX, UK; (A.M.); (A.K.); (S.H.); (C.T.)
- Food and Drug Department, University of Parma, Parco Area Delle Scienze 27/A, 43124 Parma, Italy
| | - Alexander Keeley
- School of Pharmacy, University College of London, 29/39 Brunswick Square, London WC1N 1AX, UK; (A.M.); (A.K.); (S.H.); (C.T.)
| | - Shozeb Haider
- School of Pharmacy, University College of London, 29/39 Brunswick Square, London WC1N 1AX, UK; (A.M.); (A.K.); (S.H.); (C.T.)
| | - Wenliang Li
- Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, London SW7 2AZ, UK;
- Cranfield Water Science Institute, School of Water, Environment and Energy, Cranfield University, Cranfield MK43 0AL, UK
| | - Angela Lopedota
- Department of Pharmacy-Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Bari “Aldo Moro”, 70125 Bari, Italy; (A.L.); (A.L.); (C.D.A.)
| | - Cosimo Damiano Altomare
- Department of Pharmacy-Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Bari “Aldo Moro”, 70125 Bari, Italy; (A.L.); (A.L.); (C.D.A.)
| | - Nunzio Denora
- Department of Pharmacy-Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Bari “Aldo Moro”, 70125 Bari, Italy; (A.L.); (A.L.); (C.D.A.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +39-080-544-2767
| | - Catherine Tuleu
- School of Pharmacy, University College of London, 29/39 Brunswick Square, London WC1N 1AX, UK; (A.M.); (A.K.); (S.H.); (C.T.)
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Orodispersible Films with Rupatadine Fumarate Enclosed in Ethylcellulose Microparticles as Drug Delivery Platform with Taste-Masking Effect. MATERIALS 2022; 15:ma15062126. [PMID: 35329589 PMCID: PMC8952792 DOI: 10.3390/ma15062126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2022] [Revised: 02/28/2022] [Accepted: 03/11/2022] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
Orally disintegrating (orodispersible) films provide a versatile tool for drug administration, especially in the pediatric and geriatric population, since they reduce the risk of choking and do not necessitate drinking water during application. By considering their direct contact with the taste buds, palatability is an influential aspect related to patient compliance. The microparticles based on taste-masking polymers containing drugs enclosed inside effectively mask the unpleasant taste of medicines. Ethylcellulose is a hydrophobic polymer widely used as a taste-masking material. Rupatadine fumarate, a second-generation antihistamine drug, is characterised by an intense bitter taste; therefore, it is crucial to achieve a tolerable taste whilst developing orodispersible formulations with its content. The objective of this study was to develop orally disintegrating films with rupatadine fumarate in the form of ethylcellulose-based microparticles obtained from aqueous dispersions of ethylcellulose—Surelease® or Aquacoat® ECD. It was a technological challenge to achieve homogenous drug content per dosage unit and sufficient mechanical properties for film operating due to the necessity to suspend the microparticles in the casting solution. Although the process of obtaining films consisted of several steps (mixing, pouring, drying), the particles were homogeneously dispersed, and each film of the desired size contained the proper dose of the drug. The taste-masking effect was also maintained. This parameter was confirmed by three independent methods: in vivo by healthy volunteers, an electronic tongue and a dissolution test. The applied taste-evaluation techniques showed that the films containing Aquacoat® ECD microparticles have the highest degree of bitter taste reduction, which confirms the results obtained in our previous studies.
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Evaluating the Taste Masking Ability of Two Novel Dispersible Tablet Platforms Containing Zinc Sulfate and Paracetamol Reconstituted in a Breast Milk Substitute. Pharmaceutics 2022; 14:pharmaceutics14020420. [PMID: 35214152 PMCID: PMC8878340 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics14020420] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2021] [Revised: 02/09/2022] [Accepted: 02/10/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Milk is often used as a dispersion medium for medicines administration in young children but its taste-masking ability is unknown. A human taste panel was conducted to assess the potential of infant formula milk (Aptamil® 1) to mask the taste of two model WHO priority medicines, zinc sulfate and paracetamol, manufactured as dispersible tablets. Simultaneously, the palatability of powder blends of the tablet platforms was assessed. Twenty healthy adult volunteers performed a swirl-and-spit assessment of placebos and API-containing blends in either a lactose-based or a mannitol-based dispersible tablet platform, reconstituted in 10 mL of either water or Aptamil® 1. Eighteen samples were rated for aversion using a 100-mm Visual Analogue Scale, grittiness using a 5-point Likert scale, and “acceptability-as-a-medicine” evaluated as: “Would you find this sample acceptable to swallow as a medicine?” with binary answers of Yes/No. The API-containing formulations were more aversive than the placebos; the paracetamol-containing samples being more aversive than zinc sulfate samples. The platforms themselves were not aversive. Non-gritty samples had four-fold greater odds of being acceptable as a medicine. Aptamil® 1 masked the taste of zinc sulfate in the mannitol-based formulation but did not mask the taste of paracetamol in either platform, suggesting a limited taste-masking ability, which may be API and formulation dependent.
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Guimarães TF, Vital ICF, de Sousa EGR, Boniatti J, Bandini TB, Carr O, Oliveira ON, Shimizu FM, da Fonseca LB, Viçosa AL. Investigation of Chloroquine Resinate Feasibility and In Vitro Taste Masking Evaluation for Pediatric Formulations. AAPS PharmSciTech 2022; 23:69. [PMID: 35112208 DOI: 10.1208/s12249-022-02219-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2021] [Accepted: 01/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
In this study, chloroquine resinates were prepared at a 1:1 (w:w) drug-to-resin ratio using the batch method with polacrilex (PC), sodium polystyrene sulfonate (SPS), and polacrilin potassium (PP) ion exchange resins (IER). The influence of drug/resin ratio and pH of the medium on drug loading efficiency was explored. UV-VIS spectrophotometric analysis showed that SPS resin had high loading efficiency for chloroquine diphosphate (CLP), above 89%, regardless of the pH. PP resin was more effective at pH 5.0 (90.68%) than at pH 1.0 (2.09%), and PC resin had only 27.63% of CLP loading efficiency. CLP complexation with IER yielded amorphous mixtures according to results from differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD), thus indicating drug-resin interaction. The taste masking efficiency was evaluated with in vitro methods using an adapted dissolution test and an electronic tongue system. During dissolution tests, SPS released only 1.0% of CLP after 300 s, while PP released over 10% after 90 s in simulated saliva solution. The electronic tongue distinguished the samples containing CLP, resins, and resinates by using multidimensional projection techniques that indicated an effective drug taste masking. In an accelerated stability study, the drug contents did not decrease in chloroquine resinates, and there was no physical degradation of the resinates after 60 days. Using chloroquine resinates therefore represents a novel way to evaluate taste masking in vitro which is relevant for the early formulation development process.
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14
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Boniatti J, Tappin MRR, da S Teixeira RG, de A V Gandos T, Rios LPS, Ferreira IAM, Oliveira KC, Calil-Elias S, Santana AKM, da Fonseca LB, Shimizu FM, Carr O, Oliveira ON, Dantas FML, Amendoeira FC, Viçosa AL. In Vivo and In Vitro Taste Assessment of Artesunate-Mefloquine, Praziquantel, and Benznidazole Drugs for Neglected Tropical Diseases and Pediatric Patients. AAPS PharmSciTech 2021; 23:22. [PMID: 34907488 DOI: 10.1208/s12249-021-02162-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2021] [Accepted: 10/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The assessment of drug taste is crucial for pediatric treatments so that formulations can be developed to enhance their effectiveness. In this study, in vivo and in vitro methods were applied to evaluate the taste of tablets of three drugs administered to children without taste-masking excipients to treat tropical diseases, namely artesunate-mefloquine (ASMQ), praziquantel (PZQ), and benznidazole (BNZ). In the first method, a model of rat palatability was adapted with recirculation to ensure sample dispersion, and the data were analyzed using ANOVA (single factor, 95%). The taste assessment results (in vivo) indicated an aversion to the three medicines, denoted by the animals retracting themselves to the bottom of the box after the first contact with the drugs. For the placebo samples, the animals behaved normally, indicating that taste perception was acceptable. The second method was based on the in vitro analysis of capacitance data from a homemade impedimetric electronic tongue. Consistent with the in vivo taste assessment results, the data points obtained with PZQ, ASMQ, and BNZ were far away from those of their placebos in a map built with the multidimensional projection technique referred to as Interactive Document Mapping (IDMAP). A combined analysis of the results with the two methods allowed us to confirm the bitterness of the three drugs, also pointing to electronic tongues as a promising tool to replace in vivo palatability tests.
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15
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Abdelhakim HE, Coupe A, Tuleu C, Edirisinghe M, Craig DQM. Utilising Co-Axial Electrospinning as a Taste-Masking Technology for Paediatric Drug Delivery. Pharmaceutics 2021; 13:1665. [PMID: 34683958 PMCID: PMC8540992 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics13101665] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2021] [Revised: 09/26/2021] [Accepted: 10/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The present study describes the use of two taste-masking polymers to fabricate a formulation of chlorpheniramine maleate for paediatric administration. Co-axial electrospinning was utilized to create layered nanofibres; the two polymers, Eudragit® E PO and Kollicoat® Smartseal, were alternated between the core and the shell of the system in order to identify the optimum taste-masked formulation. The drug was loaded in the core on all occasions. It was found that the formulation with Kollicoat® Smartseal in the core with the drug, and Eudragit® E PO in the shell showed the most effective taste-masking compared to the other formulations. These fibres were in the nano-range and had smooth morphology as verified by scanning electron microscopy. Solid-state characterization and thermal analysis confirmed that amorphous solid dispersions were formed upon electrospinning. The Insent E-tongue was used to assess the taste-masking efficiency of the samples, and it was found that this formulation was undetectable by the bitter sensor, indicating successful taste-masking compared to the raw version of the drug. The E-tongue also confirmed the drug's bitterness threshold as compared to quinine HCl dihydrate, a parameter that is useful for formulation design and taste-masking planning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hend E. Abdelhakim
- Department of Pharmaceutics, UCL School of Pharmacy, 29-39 Brunswick Square, London WC1N 1AX, UK; (H.E.A.); (C.T.)
| | - Alastair Coupe
- Pfizer Limited, Global R&D, Discovery Park, Ramsgate Road, Sandwich, Kent CT13 9ND, UK;
| | - Catherine Tuleu
- Department of Pharmaceutics, UCL School of Pharmacy, 29-39 Brunswick Square, London WC1N 1AX, UK; (H.E.A.); (C.T.)
| | - Mohan Edirisinghe
- UCL Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering Sciences, University College London, London WC1E 7JE, UK;
| | - Duncan Q. M. Craig
- Department of Pharmaceutics, UCL School of Pharmacy, 29-39 Brunswick Square, London WC1N 1AX, UK; (H.E.A.); (C.T.)
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16
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Clapham D, Bennett J, Cram A, Discihnger A, Inghelbrecht S, Pense-Lheriter AM, Ruiz F, Salunke S, Schiele J, Soto J, Walsh J, Tuleu C. Proposed Tool to Compare and Assess the Applicability of Taste Assessment Techniques for Pharmaceuticals. J Pharm Sci 2021; 111:1219-1223. [PMID: 34499899 DOI: 10.1016/j.xphs.2021.09.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2021] [Revised: 09/02/2021] [Accepted: 09/02/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Palatability is amongst the most important determinants of whether or not a child will take a medicine. In order to increase concordance with treatment regimens it is often necessary to utilise a range of formulation techniques to improve the palatability of medicines. These can include selecting a different molecule or version of a molecule (such as a different polymorph or salt form), various taste masking techniques and/or the inclusion of flavours and sweeteners. In order to be able to understand the taste of the Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient (API) and to validate the formulation approach used, it is necessary to be able to use the most reliable taste evaluation method possible. Multiple in vivo and in vitro methods exist nowadays or are proposed in the literature but are often little understood by the pharmaceutical product development community. In particular, different methods may be more relevant at different stages of product development. The aim of this article is to propose a tool to guide the selection of the most appropriate method for the desired evaluation. A spreadsheet-based tool is proposed that is designed to allow the systematic assessment of the applicability of any taste assessment technique existing or new to the users proposed application. A series of criteria are defined that will allow the user to assess the analytical, usability and availability factors for the technique that is being considered. Such a systematic review will help the user to understand the benefits and risks of using each methodology for that application. The use of the tool is illustrated based on currently available data and literature. As new/existing methods are developed/improved, the outcomes of the tool may change.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Clapham
- Independent pharmaceutical consultant, Bishops Stortford, UK.
| | | | | | - Angela Discihnger
- Pharmaceutical Research and Development, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., CH-4070 Basel, Switzerland
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17
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Ftuwi H, Parri R, Mohammed AR. Novel, Fully Characterised Bovine Taste Bud Cells of Fungiform Papillae. Cells 2021; 10:2285. [PMID: 34571933 PMCID: PMC8469975 DOI: 10.3390/cells10092285] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2021] [Revised: 08/23/2021] [Accepted: 08/28/2021] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Current understanding of functional characteristics and biochemical pathways in taste bud cells have been hindered due the lack of long-term cultured cells. To address this, we developed a holistic approach to fully characterise long term cultured bovine taste bud cells (BTBCs). Initially, cultured BTBCs were characterised using RT-PCR gene expression profiling, immunocytochemistry, flowcytometry and calcium imaging, that confirmed the cells were mature TBCs that express taste receptor genes, taste specific protein markers and capable of responding to taste stimuli, i.e., denatonium (2 mM) and quinine (462.30 μM). Gene expression analysis of forty-two genes implicated in taste transduction pathway (map04742) using custom-made RT-qPCR array revealed high and low expressed genes in BTBCs. Preliminary datamining and bioinformatics demonstrated that the bovine α-gustducin, gustatory G-protein, have higher sequence similarity to the human orthologue compared to rodents. Therefore, results from this work will replace animal experimentation and provide surrogate cell-based throughput system to study human taste transduction.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Afzal R. Mohammed
- Aston Pharmacy School, Aston University, Birmingham B4 7ET, UK; (H.F.); (R.P.)
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18
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Direct Powder Extrusion 3D Printing of Praziquantel to Overcome Neglected Disease Formulation Challenges in Paediatric Populations. Pharmaceutics 2021; 13:pharmaceutics13081114. [PMID: 34452075 PMCID: PMC8398999 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics13081114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2021] [Revised: 07/16/2021] [Accepted: 07/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
For the last 40 years, praziquantel has been the standard treatment for schistosomiasis, a neglected parasitic disease affecting more than 250 million people worldwide. However, there is no suitable paediatric formulation on the market, leading to off-label use and the splitting of commercial tablets for adults. In this study, we use a recently available technology, direct powder extrusion (DPE) three-dimensional printing (3DP), to prepare paediatric Printlets™ (3D printed tablets) of amorphous solid dispersions of praziquantel with Kollidon® VA 64 and surfactants (Span™ 20 or Kolliphor® SLS). Printlets were successfully printed from both pellets and powders obtained from extrudates by hot melt extrusion (HME). In vitro dissolution studies showed a greater than four-fold increase in praziquantel release, due to the formation of amorphous solid dispersions. In vitro palatability data indicated that the printlets were in the range of praziquantel tolerability, highlighting the taste masking capabilities of this technology without the need for additional taste masking excipients. This work has demonstrated the possibility of 3D printing tablets using pellets or powder forms obtained by HME, avoiding the use of filaments in fused deposition modelling 3DP. Moreover, the main formulation hurdles of praziquantel, such as low drug solubility, inadequate taste, and high and variable dose requirements, can be overcome using this technology.
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Bitter taste in silico: A review on virtual ligand screening and characterization methods for TAS2R-bitterant interactions. Int J Pharm 2021; 600:120486. [PMID: 33744445 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpharm.2021.120486] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2020] [Revised: 02/21/2021] [Accepted: 03/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
The growing pharmaceutical interest in the human bitter taste receptors (hTAS2Rs) has two dimensions; i) evaluation of the bitterness of active pharmaceutical compounds, in order to develop strategies for improving patients' adherence to medication, and ii) application of ligands for extra-cellular hTAS2Rs for potential preventive therapeutic achievements. The result is an increasing demand on robust tools for bitterness assessment and screening the receptor-ligand affinity. In silico tools are useful for aiding experimental-screening, as well as to elucide ligand-receptor interactions. In this review, the ligand-based and structure-based approaches are described as the two main in silico tools for bitter taste analysis. The strengths and weaknesses of each approach are discussed. Both approaches provide key tools for understanding and exploiting bitter taste for human health applications.
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20
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Andrews D, Salunke S, Cram A, Bennett J, Ives RS, Basit AW, Tuleu C. Bitter-blockers as a taste masking strategy: A systematic review towards their utility in pharmaceuticals. Eur J Pharm Biopharm 2021; 158:35-51. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ejpb.2020.10.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2020] [Revised: 09/17/2020] [Accepted: 10/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
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21
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Asiri A, Hofmanová J, Batchelor H. A review of in vitro and in vivo methods and their correlations to assess mouthfeel of solid oral dosage forms. Drug Discov Today 2020; 26:740-753. [PMID: 33359115 DOI: 10.1016/j.drudis.2020.12.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2020] [Revised: 11/17/2020] [Accepted: 12/16/2020] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
This review analyses the relationship between instrumental and human data used to assess the mouthfeel of solid oral dosage forms to provide recommendations on the most appropriate methods to use in future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abdullah Asiri
- School of Pharmacy, Institute of Clinical Sciences, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK; Faculty of Clinical Pharmacy, Albaha University, Alaqiq, 65779-77388, Saudi Arabia
| | - Justyna Hofmanová
- School of Pharmacy, Institute of Clinical Sciences, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK
| | - Hannah Batchelor
- Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, University of Strathclyde, 161 Cathedral Street, Glasgow G4 0RE, UK.
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22
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Moreira M, Sarraguça M. How can oral paediatric formulations be improved? A challenge for the XXI century. Int J Pharm 2020; 590:119905. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpharm.2020.119905] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2020] [Revised: 09/07/2020] [Accepted: 09/19/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
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23
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Wasilewska K, Ciosek-Skibińska P, Lenik J, Srčič S, Basa A, Winnicka K. Utilization of Ethylcellulose Microparticles with Rupatadine Fumarate in Designing Orodispersible Minitablets with Taste Masking Effect. MATERIALS 2020; 13:ma13122715. [PMID: 32549213 PMCID: PMC7344686 DOI: 10.3390/ma13122715] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2020] [Revised: 06/02/2020] [Accepted: 06/09/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Minitablets in orodispersible form constitute a flexible drug delivery tool for paediatric and geriatric population as they eliminate the risk of chocking and do not require drinking water in the application. Due to their direct contact with taste buds, taste sensation is an important factor. Preparing microparticles with taste masking polymers utilizing spray drying is an efficient technique for reducing the bitterness of drugs. Ethylcellulose is a hydrophobic polymer widely used as a taste masking material. Rupatadine fumarate, one of the newest antihistamines, features an intensive bitter taste, hence in designing orodispersible formulations, achieving an acceptable taste is a crucial issue. The main objective of this work was to formulate orodispersible minitablets containing taste masked ethylcellulose-based microparticles with rupatadine fumarate and evaluation of their quality, especially in terms of taste masking efficacy. The accessed data indicated that all obtained minitablets were characterized by beneficial pharmaceutical properties. Three independent methods: in vivo with healthy volunteers, in vitro drug dissolution, and “electronic tongue” confirmed that all designed formulations provided satisfactory taste masking rate and that formulation F15 (prepared with Pearlitol® Flash and Surelease® microparticles with rupatadine fumarate) was characterized by the lowest bitterness score.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katarzyna Wasilewska
- Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Medical University of Białystok, Mickiewicza 2c, 15-222 Białystok, Poland;
| | - Patrycja Ciosek-Skibińska
- Chair of Medical Biotechnology, Warsaw University of Technology, Noakowskiego 3, 00-664 Warsaw, Poland;
| | - Joanna Lenik
- Department of Analytical Chemistry and Instrumental Analysis, Faculty of Chemistry, Maria Curie-Skłodowska University, M. Curie-Skłodowska Sq. 3, 20-031 Lublin, Poland;
| | - Stanko Srčič
- Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, University of Ljubljana, Aškerčeva c. 7, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia;
| | - Anna Basa
- Department of Physical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Białystok, Ciołkowskiego 1K, 15-245 Białystok, Poland;
| | - Katarzyna Winnicka
- Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Medical University of Białystok, Mickiewicza 2c, 15-222 Białystok, Poland;
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +48-85-7485616
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24
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Dagan-Wiener A, Di Pizio A, Nissim I, Bahia MS, Dubovski N, Margulis E, Niv MY. BitterDB: taste ligands and receptors database in 2019. Nucleic Acids Res 2020; 47:D1179-D1185. [PMID: 30357384 PMCID: PMC6323989 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gky974] [Citation(s) in RCA: 120] [Impact Index Per Article: 30.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2018] [Accepted: 10/09/2018] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
BitterDB (http://bitterdb.agri.huji.ac.il) was introduced in 2012 as a central resource for information on bitter-tasting molecules and their receptors. The information in BitterDB is frequently used for choosing suitable ligands for experimental studies, for developing bitterness predictors, for analysis of receptors promiscuity and more. Here, we describe a major upgrade of the database, including significant increase in content as well as new features. BitterDB now holds over 1000 bitter molecules, up from the initial 550. When available, quantitative sensory data on bitterness intensity as well as toxicity information were added. For 270 molecules, at least one associated bitter taste receptor (T2R) is reported. The overall number of ligand-T2R associations is now close to 800. BitterDB was extended to several species: in addition to human, it now holds information on mouse, cat and chicken T2Rs, and the compounds that activate them. BitterDB now provides a unique platform for structure-based studies with high-quality homology models, known ligands, and for the human receptors also data from mutagenesis experiments, information on frequently occurring single nucleotide polymorphisms and links to expression levels in different tissues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ayana Dagan-Wiener
- The Institute of Biochemistry, Food and Nutrition, The Robert H Smith Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment, The Hebrew University, 76100 Rehovot, Israel.,The Fritz Haber Center for Molecular Dynamics, The Hebrew University, Jerusalem 91904, Israel
| | - Antonella Di Pizio
- The Institute of Biochemistry, Food and Nutrition, The Robert H Smith Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment, The Hebrew University, 76100 Rehovot, Israel.,The Fritz Haber Center for Molecular Dynamics, The Hebrew University, Jerusalem 91904, Israel
| | - Ido Nissim
- The Institute of Biochemistry, Food and Nutrition, The Robert H Smith Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment, The Hebrew University, 76100 Rehovot, Israel.,The Fritz Haber Center for Molecular Dynamics, The Hebrew University, Jerusalem 91904, Israel
| | - Malkeet S Bahia
- The Institute of Biochemistry, Food and Nutrition, The Robert H Smith Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment, The Hebrew University, 76100 Rehovot, Israel.,The Fritz Haber Center for Molecular Dynamics, The Hebrew University, Jerusalem 91904, Israel
| | - Nitzan Dubovski
- The Institute of Biochemistry, Food and Nutrition, The Robert H Smith Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment, The Hebrew University, 76100 Rehovot, Israel.,The Fritz Haber Center for Molecular Dynamics, The Hebrew University, Jerusalem 91904, Israel
| | - Eitan Margulis
- The Institute of Biochemistry, Food and Nutrition, The Robert H Smith Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment, The Hebrew University, 76100 Rehovot, Israel.,The Fritz Haber Center for Molecular Dynamics, The Hebrew University, Jerusalem 91904, Israel
| | - Masha Y Niv
- The Institute of Biochemistry, Food and Nutrition, The Robert H Smith Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment, The Hebrew University, 76100 Rehovot, Israel.,The Fritz Haber Center for Molecular Dynamics, The Hebrew University, Jerusalem 91904, Israel
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25
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Keating AV, Soto J, Forbes C, Zhao M, Craig DQM, Tuleu C. Multi-Methodological Quantitative Taste Assessment of Anti-Tuberculosis Drugs to Support the Development of Palatable Paediatric Dosage Forms. Pharmaceutics 2020; 12:pharmaceutics12040369. [PMID: 32316692 PMCID: PMC7238065 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics12040369] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2020] [Revised: 04/14/2020] [Accepted: 04/15/2020] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The unpalatability of antituberculosis drugs is often cited as a major cause of non-adherence in children, yet limited quantitative taste assessment data are available. The aim of this research was to quantify the bitterness of isoniazid, rifampicin, pyrazinamide, and ethambutol dihydrochloride using two in vivo (a human taste panel and a rat brief-access taste aversion (BATA) model) and one in vitro (sensor) method. The response of the Insent TS-5000Z electronic tongue was compared to the in vivo drug concentration found to elicit and suppress half the maximum taste response (EC50 in human and IC50 in rats). Using dose-relevant concentrations, an overarching rank order of bitterness was derived (rifampicin > ethambutol > pyrazinamid~isoniazid). In vitro, only ethambutol exhibited a linear response for all sensors/concentrations. Based on the EC50/IC50 generated, a ‘taste index’ was proposed to allow for anticipation of the likelihood of taste issues in practice, taking in account the saturability in the saliva and therapeutic doses; ethambutol and isoniazid were found to be the worst tasting using this measure. The study presents the first quantitative taste analysis of these life-saving drugs and has allowed for a comparison of three methods of obtaining such data. Such information allows the operator to identify and prioritise the drugs requiring taste masking to produce palatable formulations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alison V. Keating
- UCL School of Pharmacy, 29-39 Brunswick Square, London WC1N 1AX, UK; (A.V.K.); (J.S.); (D.Q.M.C.)
| | - Jessica Soto
- UCL School of Pharmacy, 29-39 Brunswick Square, London WC1N 1AX, UK; (A.V.K.); (J.S.); (D.Q.M.C.)
| | - Claire Forbes
- Pfizer R&D UK Ltd., Ramsgate Road, Sandwich, Kent CT13 9ND, UK;
| | - Min Zhao
- School of Pharmacy, Queen’s University Belfast, Lisburn Road, Belfast BT9 7BL, UK;
| | - Duncan Q. M. Craig
- UCL School of Pharmacy, 29-39 Brunswick Square, London WC1N 1AX, UK; (A.V.K.); (J.S.); (D.Q.M.C.)
| | - Catherine Tuleu
- UCL School of Pharmacy, 29-39 Brunswick Square, London WC1N 1AX, UK; (A.V.K.); (J.S.); (D.Q.M.C.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +44-207-753-5857
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26
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Ali J, Chiang M, Lee JB, Voronin GO, Bennett J, Cram A, Kagan L, Garnett MC, Roberts CJ, Gershkovich P. Is rat a good model for assessment of particulate-based taste-masked formulations? Eur J Pharm Biopharm 2019; 146:1-9. [PMID: 31726218 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejpb.2019.11.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2019] [Accepted: 11/06/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Recently there has been an increased interest to develop specialised dosage forms that are better suited to specific patient populations, such as paediatrics and geriatrics. In these patient populations the acceptability of the oral dosage form can be paramount to the products success. However, many Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs) are known to cause an aversive taste response. One way to increase the acceptability and to enhance the palatability of the formulation is to design coated taste-masked particulate-based dosage forms. The masking of poorly tasting drugs with physical barriers such as polymer coatings can be utilised to prevent the release of drug within the oral cavity, thus preventing a taste response. However, currently, there are few assessment tools and models available to test the efficiency of these particulate-based taste-masked formulations. The rat brief access taste aversion model has been shown to be useful in assessment of taste for liquid dosage forms. However, the applicability of the rat model for particulate-based taste masked formulations is yet to be assessed. It is not understood whether dissolution, solubility and thus exposure of the drug to taste receptors would be the same in rat and human. Therefore, rat saliva must be compared to human saliva to determine the likelihood that drug release would be similar within the oral cavity for both species. In this study rat saliva was characterised for parameters known to be important for drug dissolution, such as pH, buffer capacity, surface tension, and viscosity. Subsequently dissolution of model bitter tasting compounds, sildenafil citrate and efavirenz, in rat saliva was compared to dissolution in human saliva. For all parameters characterised and for the dissolution of both drugs in rat saliva, a substantial difference was observed when compared to human saliva. This discrepancy in saliva parameters and dissolution of model drugs suggests that preclinical taste evaluation of particulate-based taste-masked formulations suggests rat is not a good model for predicting taste of solid dosage forms or undissolved drug where dissolution is required. Alternative preclinical in vivo models in other species, or improved biorelevant in vitro models should be considered instead.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph Ali
- School of Pharmacy, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham NG7 2RD, UK
| | - Manting Chiang
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
| | - Jong Bong Lee
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
| | - Gregory O Voronin
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
| | - Joanne Bennett
- Pfizer Ltd., Discovery Park, Ramsgate Road, Sandwich CT13 9ND, UK
| | - Anne Cram
- Pfizer Ltd., Discovery Park, Ramsgate Road, Sandwich CT13 9ND, UK
| | - Leonid Kagan
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
| | - Martin C Garnett
- School of Pharmacy, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham NG7 2RD, UK
| | - Clive J Roberts
- School of Pharmacy, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham NG7 2RD, UK
| | - Pavel Gershkovich
- School of Pharmacy, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham NG7 2RD, UK.
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Shishkanova TV, Broncová G, Skálová A, Prokopec V, Člupek M, Král V. Potentiometric Electronic Tongue for Taste Assessment of Ibuprofen Based Pharmaceuticals. ELECTROANAL 2019. [DOI: 10.1002/elan.201900334] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Tatiana V. Shishkanova
- Department of Analytical ChemistryUniversity of Chemistry and Technology Prague 166 28 Prague 6 Technická 5 Czech Republic
| | - Gabriela Broncová
- Department of Analytical ChemistryUniversity of Chemistry and Technology Prague 166 28 Prague 6 Technická 5 Czech Republic
| | - Annemarie Skálová
- Department of Analytical ChemistryUniversity of Chemistry and Technology Prague 166 28 Prague 6 Technická 5 Czech Republic
| | - Vadym Prokopec
- Department of Analytical ChemistryUniversity of Chemistry and Technology Prague 166 28 Prague 6 Technická 5 Czech Republic
| | - Martin Člupek
- Department of Analytical ChemistryUniversity of Chemistry and Technology Prague 166 28 Prague 6 Technická 5 Czech Republic
| | - Vladimír Král
- Department of Analytical ChemistryUniversity of Chemistry and Technology Prague 166 28 Prague 6 Technická 5 Czech Republic
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Critical review of electronic nose and tongue instruments prospects in pharmaceutical analysis. Anal Chim Acta 2019; 1077:14-29. [PMID: 31307702 DOI: 10.1016/j.aca.2019.05.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2018] [Revised: 05/10/2019] [Accepted: 05/12/2019] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Electronic nose (enose, EN) and electronic tongue (etongue, ET) have been designed to simulate human senses of smell and taste in the best possible way. The signals acquired from a sensor array, combined with suitable data analysis system, are the basis for holistic analysis of samples. The efficiency of these instruments, regarding classification, discrimination, detection, monitoring and analytics of samples in different types of matrices, is utilized in many fields of science and industry, offering numerous practical applications. Popularity of both types of devices significantly increased during the last decade, mainly due to improvement of their sensitivity and selectivity. The electronic senses have been employed in pharmaceutical sciences for, among others, formulation development and quality assurance. This paper contains a review of some particular applications of EN and ET based instruments in pharmaceutical industry. In addition, development prospects and a critical summary of the state of art in the field were also surveyed.
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Qin W, He Y, Guo Z, Zhang L, Wu L, Yin X, Shakya S, Maharjan A, Tang Y, Zhu W, Zhang J. Optimization of taste-masking on ibuprofen microspheres with selected structure features. Asian J Pharm Sci 2019; 14:174-182. [PMID: 32104449 PMCID: PMC7032204 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajps.2018.05.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2018] [Revised: 03/25/2018] [Accepted: 05/21/2018] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The microsphere was a primary particulate system for taste-masking with unique structural features defined by production process. In this article, ibuprofen lipid microspheres of octadecanol and glycerin monostearate were prepared to mask the undesirable taste of ibuprofen via three kinds of spray congealing processes, namely, air-cooling, water-cooling and citric acid solution-cooling. The stereoscopic and internal structures of ibuprofen microspheres were quantitatively analyzed by synchrotron radiation X-ray micro-computed tomography (SR-µCT) to establish the relationship between the preparation process and microsphere architectures. It was found that the microstructure and morphology of the microspheres were significantly influenced by preparation processes as the primary factors to determine the release profiles and taste-masking effects. The sphericity of ibuprofen microspheres congealed in citric acid solution was higher than that of other two and its morphology was more regular than that being congealed in air or distilled water, and the contact angles between congealing media and melted ibuprofen in octadecanol and glycerin monostearate well demonstrated the structure differences among microspheres of three processes which controlled the release characteristics of the microspheres. The structure parameters like porosity, sphericity, and radius ratio from quantitative analysis were correlated well with drug release behaviors. The results demonstrated that the exterior morphology and internal structure of microspheres had considerable influences on the drug release behaviors as well as taste-masking effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Qin
- Ministry of Education, Jiangxi University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanchang 330004, China
- Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Yuanzhi He
- Ministry of Education, Jiangxi University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanchang 330004, China
- Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Zhen Guo
- Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Liu Zhang
- Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China
- School of Pharmacy, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang 110016, China
| | - Li Wu
- Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Xianzhen Yin
- Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Shailendra Shakya
- Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China
- School of Pharmacy, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Abi Maharjan
- Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China
- School of Pharmacy, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Yan Tang
- Ministry of Education, Jiangxi University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanchang 330004, China
- Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Weifeng Zhu
- Ministry of Education, Jiangxi University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanchang 330004, China
| | - Jiwen Zhang
- Ministry of Education, Jiangxi University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanchang 330004, China
- Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China
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Determination of Bitterness of Andrographis Herba Based on Electronic Tongue Technology and Discovery of the Key Compounds of Bitter Substances. Molecules 2018; 23:molecules23123362. [PMID: 30572573 PMCID: PMC6321225 DOI: 10.3390/molecules23123362] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2018] [Accepted: 12/14/2018] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Andrographis Herba (AH), the dry aerial segments of Andrographis paniculata (Burm.f.) Nees, is a common herbal remedy with bitter properties in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) theory. Although bitterness is one of the features representing Chinese medicine, it has not been implemented as an index to assess the quality and efficacy of TCM because of peoples' subjectivity to taste. In this study, 30 batches of AH with different commercial classifications (leaves, stems, or mixtures of both) were collected. Bitterness of AH was quantified by electronic tongue technology. Meanwhile, chemical compositions were characterized through establishing high-performance liquid chromatography fingerprints. The result indicated that the radar curves of the bitterness from different AH commercial classifications displayed different taste fingerprint information. Based on six taste factors, a Principal Component Analysis (PCA) score three-dimensional (3D) plot exhibited a clear grouping trend (R²X, 0.912; Q², 0.763) among the three different commercial classifications. Six compounds (Peaks 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8) with positive correlation to bitterness were discovered by a Spearman correlation analysis. Peaks 2, 6, 7, 8 were identified as andrographolide, neoandrographolide, 14-deoxyandrographolide, and dehydroandrographolide, respectively. The electronic tongue can be used to distinguish AH samples with different commercial classifications and for quality evaluation.
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31
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Soto J, Keeley A, Keating AV, Mohamed-Ahmed AHA, Sheng Y, Winzenburg G, Turner R, Desset-Brèthes S, Orlu M, Tuleu C. Rats can predict aversiveness of Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients. Eur J Pharm Biopharm 2018; 133:77-84. [PMID: 30267837 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejpb.2018.09.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2018] [Revised: 08/13/2018] [Accepted: 09/25/2018] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Abstract
Taste is crucial for patient acceptability and compliance with prescribed medicines, in particular with pediatric patients. Evaluating the taste of new active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) is therefore essential to put in place adequate taste-masking techniques, if needed, which will lead to acceptable palatable formulations. Thus, there is an urgent need to develop and optimize taste assessment methods that could be used at different stages of the drug development process. The aim of this study was to investigate the suitability of the rat brief-access taste aversion (BATA) model as a screening tool for assessment of APIs aversiveness that could predict human taste responses. Presently, the taste intensity of nine marketed APIs known to have different levels of bitter intensity (quinine hydrochloride dihydrate, 6-n-propylthiouracil, sildenafil citrate, diclofenac sodium, ranitidine hydrochloride, caffeine citrate, isoniazid, telbivudine and paracetamol) was investigated at different overlapping concentrations with two in vivo taste assessment methods: the rat BATA model and human taste panels with the intention of determining the drugs' concentrations to produce half of the maximal rating. Overall there was a strong correlation (R2 = 0.896) between rats IC50 and humans EC50 values. This correlation verifies the BATA model as a rapid and reliable tool for quantitative assessment of API aversiveness. A comparable ranking order was obtained mainly for high and medium aversive compounds, whereas it was less aligned for weakly aversive compounds. It was nonetheless possible to propose a classification of poor taste intensity determined in rats that would predict human taste tolerability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica Soto
- Department of Pharmaceutics, UCL School of Pharmacy, 29/39 Brunswick Square, WC1N 1AX London, United Kingdom; Novartis Pharma AG, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Alexander Keeley
- Department of Pharmaceutics, UCL School of Pharmacy, 29/39 Brunswick Square, WC1N 1AX London, United Kingdom
| | - Alison V Keating
- Department of Pharmaceutics, UCL School of Pharmacy, 29/39 Brunswick Square, WC1N 1AX London, United Kingdom
| | - Abeer H A Mohamed-Ahmed
- Department of Pharmaceutics, UCL School of Pharmacy, 29/39 Brunswick Square, WC1N 1AX London, United Kingdom
| | - Yucheng Sheng
- Department of Pharmaceutics, UCL School of Pharmacy, 29/39 Brunswick Square, WC1N 1AX London, United Kingdom
| | | | | | | | - Mine Orlu
- Department of Pharmaceutics, UCL School of Pharmacy, 29/39 Brunswick Square, WC1N 1AX London, United Kingdom
| | - Catherine Tuleu
- Department of Pharmaceutics, UCL School of Pharmacy, 29/39 Brunswick Square, WC1N 1AX London, United Kingdom.
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32
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Creation of an assessment system for measuring the bitterness of azithromycin-containing reverse micelles. Asian J Pharm Sci 2018; 13:343-352. [PMID: 32104408 PMCID: PMC7032229 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajps.2018.02.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2017] [Accepted: 02/22/2018] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
We aimed to develop a novel method for assessing the bitterness of azithromycin-containing reverse micelles (AM-containing RMs). Azithromycin-containing reverse micelles were prepared by processing Lipoid E80 and medium chain triglycerides via a freeze-drying method. The bitterness threshold of azithromycin was determined by human taste test, and an equation was derived to correlate the azithromycin concentrations and bitterness scores of standard solutions. Simulated salivary fluids and sampling times were fixed based on the drug release profile of AM-containing RMs, with Zithromax® (a commercial formulation of azithromycin) used as the control. The drug release concentrations from stimulated salivary fluids were then used to assess the bitterness of AM-containing RMs and Zithromax®. Afterward, the oral bioavailability of both formulations was evaluated by in vivo experiments in male Wistar rats. The results showed that the bitterness threshold of azithromycin standard solutions was between 25.3 µg/ml and 30.4 µg/ml. Thereafter, we calculated that the bitterness scores and the drug release concentrations of the azithromycin-containing reverse micelle formulation were similar to those of Zithromax® at each time point after 10 min of dispersal in simulated salivary fluid. In addition, the AUC0−t after oral administration of AM-containing RMs was 1.75-fold (P < 0.05) higher than that of Zithromax®. In conclusions, a system for assessing bitterness was developed using an in vitro drug release evaluation method and a human taste test panel. We found that the bitterness of azithromycin was successfully masked by reverse micelles, which also improved the oral bioavailability of azithromycin compared to that of Zithromax®.
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Abu-Khalaf N, Zaid AN, Jaradat N, AlKilany A, Abu Rumaila B, Al Ramahi R, Shweiki S, Nidal S, Surakhi N. The Taste of Commercially Available Clarithromycin Oral Pharmaceutical Suspensions in the Palestinian Market: Electronic Tongue and In Vivo Evaluation. SENSORS 2018; 18:s18020454. [PMID: 29401675 PMCID: PMC5855094 DOI: 10.3390/s18020454] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2017] [Revised: 12/21/2017] [Accepted: 12/24/2017] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Background: The taste of oral liquid dosage forms is a crucial factor that impacts paediatric patient compliance. The electronic tongue (ET) is an emerging tool that could be useful in taste assessment in order to minimize the involvement of humans in such evaluations. Purpose: The aim of this study is to evaluate the taste of commercially available clarithromycin (CM) oral pharmaceutical suspensions in the Palestinian market. Method: Commercially available CM suspensions (the brand Klacid® and two generic K1 and K2) were assayed using the high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method. Then, the taste of these products was assessed using alpha-astree ET. In addition, an in vivo taste assessment was conducted on paediatric patients by a hedonic panel test. Moreover, volunteering community pharmacists were asked to rank the taste of these three products according to their experience from the best to the worst. Results: All suspension products had a CM concentration not less than 98% of the label amount. The ET results coupled with the principal component analysis (PCA) showed a very clear discrimination of the samples with different distances between groups (p-values < 0.001). Suspensions were in the following order in terms of taste: Klacid® > K1 > K2. Moreover, The pattern discrimination index between (K1 and Klacid®), (K1 and K2) and (Klacid® and K2) were 8.81%, 65.75%, and 71.94%, respectively which suggests that K1 and Klacid® are the most similar preparations in terms of taste. Interestingly, these results were in excellent agreement with the pharmacist ranking and patient acceptance test. Conclusions: The evaluated preparations showed significantly different taste within the order of Klacid® > K1 > K2, as suggested by both the ET and in vivo results. Moreover, our results confirm the capability of alpha-astree ET in the taste assessment of oral suspensions and in predicting volunteer responses, which highlights its beneficial use as an in vitro taste assessment tool and as an alternative to human-based taste evaluations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nawaf Abu-Khalaf
- College of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, Palestine Technical University-Kadoorie (PTUK), Tulkarm B.O.Box, Palestine.
| | - Abdel Naser Zaid
- Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, An-Najah National University, Nablus B.O.Box 7, Palestine.
| | - Nidal Jaradat
- Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, An-Najah National University, Nablus B.O.Box 7, Palestine.
| | - Alaaldin AlKilany
- Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, An-Najah National University, Nablus B.O.Box 7, Palestine.
- School of Pharmacy, Jordan University, Amman 11942, Jordan.
| | - Basima Abu Rumaila
- College of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, Palestine Technical University-Kadoorie (PTUK), Tulkarm B.O.Box, Palestine.
| | - Rowa Al Ramahi
- Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, An-Najah National University, Nablus B.O.Box 7, Palestine.
| | - Shrouq Shweiki
- Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, An-Najah National University, Nablus B.O.Box 7, Palestine.
| | - Safaa Nidal
- Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, An-Najah National University, Nablus B.O.Box 7, Palestine.
| | - Nibal Surakhi
- Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, An-Najah National University, Nablus B.O.Box 7, Palestine.
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Bennett J, Coburn A, Coupe A, Stedman D, Taylor A, Tyler A. Development of a zebrafish model for bitter taste assessment. Int J Pharm 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpharm.2017.08.056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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35
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Cheung LC, Nguyen M, Tang E, von Ungern Sternberg BS, Salman S, Tuleu C, Mohamed Ahmed AH, Soto J, Lim LY. Taste evaluation of a novel midazolam tablet for pediatric patients: In vitro drug dissolution, in vivo animal taste aversion and clinical taste perception profiles. Int J Pharm 2018; 535:194-200. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpharm.2017.10.060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2017] [Revised: 10/30/2017] [Accepted: 10/31/2017] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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Podrażka M, Bączyńska E, Kundys M, Jeleń PS, Witkowska Nery E. Electronic Tongue-A Tool for All Tastes? BIOSENSORS-BASEL 2017; 8:bios8010003. [PMID: 29301230 PMCID: PMC5872051 DOI: 10.3390/bios8010003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 82] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2017] [Revised: 12/27/2017] [Accepted: 12/30/2017] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Electronic tongue systems are traditionally used to analyse: food products, water samples and taste masking technologies for pharmaceuticals. In principle, their applications are almost limitless, as they are able to almost completely reduce the impact of interferents and can be applied to distinguish samples of extreme complexity as for example broths from different stages of fermentation. Nevertheless, their applications outside the three principal sample types are, in comparison, rather scarce. In this review, we would like to take a closer look on what are real capabilities of electronic tongue systems, what can be achieved using mixed sensor arrays and by introduction of biosensors or molecularly imprinted polymers in the matrix. We will discuss future directions both in the sense of applications as well as system development in the ever-growing trend of low cost analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Podrażka
- Institute of Physical Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Kasprzaka 44/52, 01-224 Warsaw, Poland.
| | - Ewa Bączyńska
- Institute of Physical Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Kasprzaka 44/52, 01-224 Warsaw, Poland.
- Laboratory of Cell Biophysics, The Nencki Institute PAS, Pasteur Street 3, 02-093 Warsaw, Poland.
| | - Magdalena Kundys
- Institute of Physical Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Kasprzaka 44/52, 01-224 Warsaw, Poland.
| | - Paulina S Jeleń
- Institute of Physical Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Kasprzaka 44/52, 01-224 Warsaw, Poland.
| | - Emilia Witkowska Nery
- Institute of Physical Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Kasprzaka 44/52, 01-224 Warsaw, Poland.
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Immohr LI, Dischinger A, Kühl P, Kletzl H, Sturm S, Günther A, Pein-Hackelbusch M. Early pediatric formulation development with new chemical entities: Opportunities of e-tongue besides human taste assessment. Int J Pharm 2017; 530:201-212. [PMID: 28750893 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpharm.2017.07.069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2017] [Revised: 07/19/2017] [Accepted: 07/21/2017] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
The palatability of a pediatric drug formulation is one of the key prerequisites for therapeutic success. Liquid formulations are often chosen for pediatric drug products, and they require special attention regarding their taste, as they have direct contact to the taste buds and a relatively long residence time in the oral cavity. For ethical reasons, the role of electronic tongues in the development of oral drug formulations with new chemical entities (NCEs) for pediatric use is growing, however, little is known about the strategies how this instrumental taste assessment can be performed. The present study illustrates two possibilities to combine in-vitro and in-vivo data for the characterization of the palatability of the new drug candidates CSE3104 and CSE3165. As a first step, the implementation and suitability of electronic tongue measurements has been demonstrated by comparison of in-vivo and in-vitro data. In alignment with the taste assessment results during a single-center, double-blinded, randomized, placebo-controlled, single ascending dose (SAD) study in healthy subjects, the bitter taste perception of CSE3104 was assessed with e-tongue measurements. Moreover, the sensor response pattern showed comparable results of the e-tongue measurements to the human taste study of CSE3165: With increasing concentration, the bitterness values were increased. In addition, the human taste pattern showed increasing values for sourness due to higher volumes of the citric acid buffer. Results of the hedonic descriptor "unpleasant" within the human taste assessments could be related to bitterness in the instrumental taste assessment. For the second step in electronic tongue guided formulation development two possibilities are depicted in the article focusing on the effect of different excipients on the formulation on the one hand and on the assessment and comparison of two drug formulations on the other hand. Based on these results, the low number of healthy volunteers for the taste assessment in a Phase 1 study led to a meaningful interpretation, by applying in addition the electronic tongue. Using this instrumental approach led to reproducible data versus the human taste assessment, without ethical concerns, and with a reduction in time and costs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Isabell Immohr
- Institute of Pharmaceutics and Biopharmaceutics, Heinrich-Heine-University Duesseldorf, Universitaetsstr. 1, 40225, Duesseldorf, Germany
| | - Angela Dischinger
- Formulation Research and Development, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Peter Kühl
- Formulation Research and Development, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd, Basel, Switzerland
| | | | - Stefan Sturm
- Clinical Pharmacology, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Andreas Günther
- Clinical Pharmacology, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Miriam Pein-Hackelbusch
- Life Science Technologies, University of Applied Sciences Ostwestfalen-Lippe, Georg-Weerth-Strasse 20, 32756 Detmold, Germany.
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Münster M, Mohamed-Ahmed AHA, Immohr LI, Schoch C, Schmidt C, Tuleu C, Breitkreutz J. Comparative in vitro and in vivo taste assessment of liquid praziquantel formulations. Int J Pharm 2017; 529:310-318. [PMID: 28689966 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpharm.2017.06.084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2017] [Revised: 06/26/2017] [Accepted: 06/28/2017] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
The taste of pharmaceuticals strongly affects the compliance of patients. This study investigated the applicability of the electronic tongue and rodent brief-access taste aversion (BATA) model for the bitter compound praziquantel (PZQ) and taste masked liquid formulations for PZQ. In a comparative study maltodextrin (MD) Kleptose® linecaps 17 was selected as an alternative taste masking agent to two cyclodextrins; hydroxypropyl-beta-cyclodextrin (HP-β-CD) and sulfobutyl ether-beta-cyclodextrin (SBE-β-CD). A phase solubility study showed the highest affinity and solubilization capabilities for SBE-β-CD over HP-β-CD and MD, suggesting the highest taste masking ability for SBE-β-CD. No reliable results were achieved for PZQ with the Insent electronic tongue. Thus this system was not used for further evaluation of solutions with MD and CDs to confirm the results of the solubility study. In contrast the BATA model demonstrated conclusive responses for the aversiveness of PZQ. The concentration of PZQ inhibiting 50% of water lick numbers (called IC50 value) was 0.06mg/ml. In contrast to the phase solubility study, the MD enabled an equal taste masking effect in vivo in comparison to both CDs. Moreover HP-β-CD showed superior taste masking capabilities for PZQ compared to SBE-β-CD as the SBE-β-CD itself was less acceptable for the rodents than HP-β-CD. In conclusion, the BATA model was identified as a more efficient taste assessment tool for the pure PZQ and liquid formulations in contrast to the electronic tongue and the phase solubility study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Magdalena Münster
- Merck KGaA, Pharmaceutical Technologies, Frankfurter Straße 250, 64293 Darmstadt, Germany; Institute of Pharmaceutics and Biopharmaceutics, Heinrich-Heine-University, Universitätsstr. 1, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany.
| | - Abeer H A Mohamed-Ahmed
- Department of Pharmaceutics, UCL School of Pharmacy, 29/39 Brunswick Square, London WC1N 1AX, United Kingdom
| | - Laura I Immohr
- Institute of Pharmaceutics and Biopharmaceutics, Heinrich-Heine-University, Universitätsstr. 1, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Corinna Schoch
- Merck KGaA, Pharmaceutical Technologies, Frankfurter Straße 250, 64293 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Carsten Schmidt
- Merck KGaA, Pharmaceutical Technologies, Frankfurter Straße 250, 64293 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Catherine Tuleu
- Department of Pharmaceutics, UCL School of Pharmacy, 29/39 Brunswick Square, London WC1N 1AX, United Kingdom
| | - Jörg Breitkreutz
- Institute of Pharmaceutics and Biopharmaceutics, Heinrich-Heine-University, Universitätsstr. 1, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
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Keating AV, Soto J, Tuleu C, Forbes C, Zhao M, Craig DQM. Solid state characterisation and taste masking efficiency evaluation of polymer based extrudates of isoniazid for paediatric administration. Int J Pharm 2017; 536:536-546. [PMID: 28687346 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpharm.2017.07.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2017] [Revised: 06/15/2017] [Accepted: 07/03/2017] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Hot melt extrusion has gained considerable attention as a novel technique for taste masking of bitter APIs. The aim of this study was to investigate whether hot melt extrusion could be used to develop taste masked formulations of isoniazid and also to evaluate and correlate different taste assessment methods Two polymers with different physico-chemical properties, Soluplus and Eudragit E-PO were chosen as carriers for the drug. Eudragit E-PO has already been widely used for taste masking due to its selective release properties, while Soluplus has not been studied in this regard but provides a useful comparator of a polymer that should release the drug reasonably efficiently. Polymeric formulations of isoniazid were produced with drug loadings of 20% and 30% w/w. The solid state characteristics of the formulations were assessed by differential scanning calorimetry and powder X-ray diffraction. The taste of isoniazid was assessed using the rodent Brief Access Taste Aversion (BATA) model, while formulations were assessed using the electronic tongue and dissolution under simulated oral conditions. Investigation into the drug loading effect with these two polymers showed that all Soluplus based extrudates with drug loading up to 30% w/w were fully amorphous while Eudragit E-PO based extrudates contained crystalline drug as demonstrated by both DSC and PXRD, dependent on loading. BATA testing of isoniazid gave an IC50 value, i.e. the dose of drug which inhibits 50% of licks, of 11.1mg/mL. Taste assessment of the formulations using both simulated oral drug release and the electronic tongue demonstrated that Eudragit E-PO based formulations had a better taste masking efficiency than Soluplus. This is due to the fact that significantly less isoniazid is released from the Eudragit E-PO based formulations under oral conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alison V Keating
- UCL School of Pharmacy, 29-39 Brunswick Square, London, WC1N 1AX, UK
| | - Jessica Soto
- UCL School of Pharmacy, 29-39 Brunswick Square, London, WC1N 1AX, UK; Novartis Pharma AG, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Catherine Tuleu
- UCL School of Pharmacy, 29-39 Brunswick Square, London, WC1N 1AX, UK
| | - Claire Forbes
- Pfizer UK Ltd., Ramsgate Road, Sandwich, Kent, CT13 9ND, UK
| | - Min Zhao
- School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, Lisburn Road, Belfast, BT9 7BL, UK
| | - Duncan Q M Craig
- UCL School of Pharmacy, 29-39 Brunswick Square, London, WC1N 1AX, UK.
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Salunke S, Liu F, Batchelor H, Walsh J, Turner R, Ju TR, Tuleu C. European Paediatric Formulation Initiative (EuPFI)-Formulating Ideas for Better Medicines for Children. AAPS PharmSciTech 2017; 18:257-262. [PMID: 27422653 DOI: 10.1208/s12249-016-0584-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2016] [Accepted: 06/23/2016] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The European Paediatric Formulation Initiative (EuPFI), founded in 2007, aims to promote and facilitate the preparation of better and safe medicines for children through linking research and information dissemination. It brings together the capabilities of the industry, academics, hospitals, and regulators within a common platform in order to scope the solid understanding of the major issues, which will underpin the progress towards the future of paediatric medicines we want.The EuPFI was formed in parallel to the adoption of regulations within the EU and USA and has served as a community that drives research and dissemination through publications and the organisation of annual conferences. The membership and reach of this group have grown since its inception in 2007 and continue to develop and evolve to meet the continuing needs and ambitions of research into and development of age appropriate medicines. Five diverse workstreams (age-appropriate medicines, Biopharmaceutics, Administration Devices, Excipients and Taste Assessment & Taste Masking (TATM)) direct specific workpackages on behalf of the EuPFI. Furthermore, EuPFI interacts with multiple diverse professional groups across the globe to ensure efficient working in the area of paediatric medicines. Strong commitment and active involvement of all EuPFI stakeholders have proved to be vital to effectively address knowledge gaps related to paediatric medicines, discuss potential areas for further research and identify issues that need more attention and analysis in the future.
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