title: Dissolution methodology for taste masked oral dosage forms.
abstract: Conventional adult dosage forms are often not suitable for the paediatric and geriatric populations due to either swallowing difficulties or patient repulsion and a requirement for tailored dosing to individual compliance or physiological needs. Alternative formulations are available; however these often require the incorporation of more complex taste masking techniques. One approach to taste masking is to reduce contact between the bitter Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient (API) and oral cavity taste bud regions. This is achieved by hindering release in the oral cavity, or including competitive inhibition of bitter sensation for example by using flavours or sweeteners. There may also be other sensational complications from the API such as residual burning, reflux or metallic taste sensations to deal with. In vitro dissolution testing is employed to elucidate taste masking capability by quantifying release of the drug in simulated oral cavity conditions. Dissolution testing approaches may also be used to potentially predict or quantify the effect of the taste masking technique on the resultant pharmacokinetic profile. The present review investigates the anatomy and physiology of the oral cavity and current approaches to taste masking. In vitro dissolution methodologies adopted in the evaluation of taste masked formulations are discussed for their relative merits and drawbacks. A vast array of methodologies has been employed, with little agreement between approaches, and a lack of biorelevance. Future directions in dissolution methodology such as TNO Intestinal Model (TIM) and the Artificial Stomach and Duodenum model (ASD) are also discussed.
authors.affiliation: School of Pharmacy, The University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK.
authors.forename: Sally
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gittings
authors.affiliation: Pfizer Drug Product Design, WRD Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sandwich, UK.
authors.forename: Neil
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Turnbull
authors.affiliation: School of Pharmacy, The University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK.
authors.forename: Clive J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Roberts
authors.affiliation: School of Pharmacy, The University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK. Electronic address: pavel.gershkovich@nottingham.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Pavel
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gershkovich
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D004867:Equipment Design; D006801:Humans; D009055:Mouth / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology; D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000737:chemistry; D010599:Pharmacokinetics; D012995:Solubility; D013549:Sweetening Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013649:Taste / Q000187:drug effects*; D013678:Technology, Pharmaceutical / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations; D013549:Sweetening Agents
keywords: Biopharmaceutics; Biorelevant dissolution; Oral absorption; Paediatric; Pharmacokinetics; Taste masking