Advances in taste masking of drug: a review study

Abstract

Taste is the ability to determine the flavor of substances like food, drug, etc. The aspect of taste only occurs when the drug get soluble in saliva. Firstly the drug gets dispersible in saliva then they show interaction with taste bud and then perception of taste is occurred. The above test receptor get binds to the molecules of saliva and generates the electrical impulses from the area of brain that area is cranial nerves 7th ,9th 10th and then perception of taste occurs. Currently varieties of drugs are available like cardiac, analgesic, anti-inflammatory, opioid analgesic, anti-epileptic, anticoagulant, oral vaccine and sex hormone. Due to bitter formulation it tends to patient complain the problem of bitter and unpleasant taste of drug in the pediatrics and geriatric formulation is provocation to the pharmacist in the current scenario .Bitter taste masking become important to solve patient complain. This is become most important issue regards with pharmaceutical therapies. Taste masking get broadly classify into physical, chemical, biochemical and organoleptic methods. There are different types of method are available to mask the unpleasant taste of drug. The physical method involves the use of sweeteners and flavor enhancers. The chemical method involves Ion exchange resin, solid dispersions, spray drying, Inclusion complex, Microencapsulation, coating. The biochemical method involves Prodrug, Hot melt extrusion. The most abundantly used method involves are spray drying, Inclusion complex, Microencapsulation, coating, hot-melt extrusion, and organoleptic methods. 
 Keywords: Obnoxious, Hot melt Extrusion, Ion exchange resin, coating, palatability.