Taste Making Flashcards
What is the problem with taste of medicines?
Most have a bitter taste/ irritate the throat
= affect acceptance
= affect compliance
What is the problem with solid dosage forms (capsules/tablets)?
Can mask the taste
BUT unconventional for children to swallow
What is the problem with liquids?
Harder to mask the taste
Why are most drugs not suitable for children?
Clinical trials only conducted in adults
= products NOT licensed for children
= “off-label”
At what age do infants display extrusion reflex (prevent swallowing of solids)
<5 months
At what age can semi-solids be taken?
5-6months
At what age can they swallow tablets?
6+ years
What are the advantages of liquids?
More appropriate for paediatrics
Flexible + accurate dosing
Using oral syringe
What are the disadvantages of liquids?
Taste + smell can be more difficult to mask
More expensive
Limited-shelf life
Requires more excipients
What is problem of excipients in neonates + infants?
They may not be able to metabolise or eliminate excipients
What are the excipients to avoid?
Benzyl alcohol = neurotoxicity
Ethanol = neurotoxicity
PEG = metabolic acidosis
Polysorbate 20 + 80 = liver + kidney failure
What is palatability?
Overall appreciation of a medicine towards its smell, taste, texture + aftertaste
What factors play into acceptability?
Palatability
Appearance
When do taste buds appear?
7-8th week of gestation
What are the 2 ways to smell?
Orthonasal - just nose
Retronasal- mouth + nose
What gives a cooling feeling?
Methanol
Mint
What gives a numbing feeling?
Clove
Parabens
What gives a bite/burning feeling?
Pepper
Alcohol
What flavours are more accepted by the USA?
Bubble-gum
Grape
What flavours are more accepted by Europe?
Citrus
Red berries
What are the 3 approaches of taste masking techniques?
Create a barrier
Chemical or solubility modification
Adding flavourings/sweeteners
How does the coating technique work?
Physical barrier to drug particles
= minimises drug interaction with taste
How does adding sweeteners work?
Best for liquids
Highly water soluble = dissolve in saliva = coat tastebuds = stop interaction of API with tastebuds
What is an example of a sweetener?
Sucrose
What are the problems with sweeteners?
Cavities
What are examples of sugar-free sweeteners?
Hydrogenated glucose syrup
eg. maltitol, sorbitol or xylitol
How does the complexation technique work?
Decreases amount of drug particles directly exposed to taste buds
OR
Decreases oral solubility = reducing perception of bitter taste
What is an example of a complexing agent?
Beta - cyclodextrin
How do prodrugs work?
Initially inactive
BUT upon administration converted into active form
= physiochemical modification of bitter loci
= inhibits their interaction with taste receptors
Why should colouring agents be avoided in paediatric population?
Hypersensitivity
Adverse reactions
Which dyes are unacceptable?
Azo-dyes
