title: Stability, dose uniformity, and palatability of three counterterrorism drugs-human subject and electronic tongue studies.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  These studies evaluated the ability of common household food and drink products to mask the bitter taste of three selected anti-terrorism drugs.
  
  
  METHODS
  Three anti-terrorism drugs (doxycycline, ciprofloxacin hydrochloride, and potassium iodide) were mixed with a variety of common household food and drinks, and healthy adult volunteers evaluated the resulting taste and aftertaste. In parallel, the ASTREE Electronic Tongue was used to evaluate taste combinations. Stability of the mixtures over time was monitored, as was the dosage uniformity across preparations.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Foods and drinks were identified that satisfactorily masked the bitter flavor of each drug. Dose uniformity and stability were also acceptable over the range studied, although some combinations were significantly less stable than others. The electronic tongue was able to differentiate between tastes, but ranked masking agents in a different order than human volunteers.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Doxycycline, potassium iodide, and ciprofloxacin, which are stockpiled in solid tablet form, can conveniently be prepared into more palatable formulations, using common household foods and drinks. The electronic tongue can be used to perform an initial screening for palatability.
authors.affiliation: Food and Drug Administration, 5515 Security Lane, Rockville, Maryland, 20852, USA.
authors.forename: Nakissa
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sadrieh
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Brower
authors.forename: Lawrence
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: William
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Doub
authors.forename: Arthur
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Straughn
authors.forename: Stella
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Machado
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Pelsor
authors.forename: Emmanuelle Saint
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Martin
authors.forename: Terry
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Moore
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Reepmeyer
authors.forename: Duckhee
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Toler
authors.forename: Agnes
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nguyenpho
authors.forename: Rosemary
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Roberts
authors.forename: Donald J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Schuirmann
authors.forename: Moheb
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nasr
authors.forename: Lucinda
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Buhse
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D015374:Biosensing Techniques / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D023482:Bioterrorism; D002939:Ciprofloxacin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004318:Doxycycline / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004355:Drug Stability; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011193:Potassium Iodide / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013649:Taste / Q000187:drug effects*; D013678:Technology, Pharmaceutical / Q000295:instrumentation; D014059:Tongue / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D011193:Potassium Iodide; D002939:Ciprofloxacin; D004318:Doxycycline