A BRIEF STUDY ON NOVEL AND ADVANCES IN TASTE MASKING TECHNOLOGY IN THE FIELD OF PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRY: AS REVIEW ARTICLE

Satendra Kumar* and Anil Kumar

ABSTRACT

The present review article highlights different technologies of taste masking with respect to dosage form and novel methods of evaluation of taste masking effect. According to year 2003 survey of pediatrician by association of pediatrics unpleasant taste was the biggest barrier for completing treatment in pediatrics. Acceptability of any dosage form are mainly depends over its taste i.e. mouth feel. Drug molecule interacts with taste receptor on the tongue to give bitter, sweet or salty taste sensation, when they dissolve in saliva. This sensation of the taste is the result of signal transduction from the receptor organs for taste, commonly known as taste buds. In market, there are numbers of pharmaceutical preparations available in which actives are bitter in taste. l To overcome this problem, many techniques have been developed to mask the bitter taste of drugs. These techniques are not only masking the bitter taste of drug but also enhance the bioavailability and performance of drug dosage form. It includes adding sugars, flavors, sweeteners, use of lipoproteins, numbing taste buds, granulation, use of adsorbents’ ,coating drug, microencapsulation, multiple emulsion, viscosity modifier, vesicles and liposomes, Prodrug and salt formation, inclusion and molecular complexes, solid dispersion and Ion Exchange Resins (IERs) which have been tried by the formulators to mask the unpleasant taste of the bitter drugs. Test masking of obnoxious drugs has gained the important as the most of them are administered orally. By development of taste masking technology of dosage form characteristics is improve and good patient complies is achieved.

Keywords: Taste, Bitter drugs, Taste buds, Taste masking, Taste masking technology.