Antimicrobial liquid formulations: a blind taste comparison of three brands of penicillin VK and three brands of amoxicillin.
OBJECTIVE
To rate the perception of taste, texture, smell and aftertaste of various brands of penicillin VK and amoxicillin.


METHODS
Oral, liquid formulations of three brands of penicillin VK (PenVee K, V-Cillin-K, VeeTids) and three brands of amoxicillin (Amoxil, Trimox, Wymox) were evaluated for smell, texture, taste, and aftertaste by 30 volunteers in a blind study. Each category was scored on a scale of 1 to 5. The order in which the drugs were sampled was randomized for the first three groups of five participants. The order then was reversed for the remaining three groups of participants.


METHODS
A 537-bed US Army teaching hospital.


METHODS
Participants included 30 healthy adult volunteers from the Departments of Pediatrics, Nursing, and Pharmacy.


METHODS
Drugs received cumulative scores in each category, as well as an overall total score ranking. The data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA for repeated measures with a post hoc Duncan's multiple range test to determine significant differences between individual means.


RESULTS
Overall, Trimox and Amoxil scored significantly higher than the remaining drugs. Although V-Cillin-K scored highest in the smell category, its score was significantly below those of Trimox and Amoxil in the texture, taste, aftertaste, and overall categories. Overall, the three penicillin VK solutions scored lower than the three amoxicillin suspensions, with PenVee K ranking the lowest. Among the penicillin VK solutions, V-Cillin-K scored significantly higher overall than the other two penicillin VK solutions.


CONCLUSIONS
Overall, all three amoxicillin oral, liquid suspensions that were studied scored significantly better than the three penicillin VK solutions.
Chan
D S
DS
Pharmacy Department, Department of the Army, Tripler AMC, HI 96859, USA.
Demers
D M
DM
Bass
J W
JW
D000328:Adult; D000658:Amoxicillin / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009812:Odorants; D010404:Penicillin V / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D013535:Suspensions; D013649:Taste
D013535:Suspensions; D000658:Amoxicillin; D010404:Penicillin V