Bitter Drugs Research Articles

How sugar types and fabrication methods affect palatability in paediatric-friendly oromucosal pullulan films of chlorpromazine hydrochloride

Ensuring children adhere to their prescribed medication can be challenging, particularly when a large number of medicines on the market consist of unpalatable drugs and difficult to swallow dosage forms. Sugar-based oromucosal films are easy to administer dosage forms across all age groups within the paediatric population, as they eliminate the need for swallowing or water intake and can contribute to enhancing palatability and medicine adherence. In the current study, electrospun and 3D printed oromucosal films of chlorpromazine hydrochloride (CHZ), a bitter drug, were developed based on pullulan, a natural polysaccharide, and an array of sweeteners. Their taste masking efficacy was assessed in vitro using an electronic tongue, showing a significant suppression of the bitter taste of CHZ in the presence of sucralose, sucrose and isomalt in the 3D-printed films. In vivo assessment further confirmed that the sugar-based 3D printed films are highly acceptable to volunteers. For the electrospun films, volunteers reported neutral responses for overall acceptability, likely due to their lack of familiarity with this type of formulation. Overall, with improved acceptability and further optimization for taste masking, sugar-based films could serve as a viable alternative to conventional solid oral dosage forms for administering drugs to children.

Improvement of Bioavailability of Sildenafil Citrate Through Taste Masked Orodispersible Film for Pulmonary Hypertension Management.

The oral bioavailability of sildenafil citrate is approximately 43%, primarily limited by the low aqueous solubility and first-pass effect. Considering the drug properties and biopharmaceutical considerations, this study aimed to develop an immediate release, taste masked orodispersible film (ODF) of sildenafil citrate for the efficient management of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). The optimization was done by applying 32 full-factorial design. The drug-loaded film was prepared and evaluated for the physical and mechanical parameters like; thickness, disintegration time, tensile strength, elongation, swelling index, content uniformity, disintegration and in vitro drug release in pH 6.2 stimulated salivary fluid. The FTIR and DSC data proved excellent compatibility between the drug and polymers used. The time taken for disintegration by the optimized film was about 62.66s, while the drug release was observed ~ 96% in 10min. Pharmacokinetic studies exhibited better sildenafil plasma level (p < 0.05) and Cmax (p < 0.001) of orally disintegrating film which is significantly higher than the oral drug solution. The AUC0-8 (24874.425 ± 1234.45ng. h/mL) in the oromucosal application was 1.2-fold more (p < 0.0001) than the control. The presence of sweetening and flavoring agents in the formulation masked the drug bitterness, resulting in a higher intake of the formulation in rats compared to the unmasked drug solution, as observed with in vivo taste masking studies. The importance of ODF as a feasible, effective, and optimal approach for delivering sildenafil citrate via oromucosal administration for the treatment of PAH was successfully highlighted by these results.

One of the major challenges of masking the bitter taste in medications: an overview of quantitative methods for bitterness.

The aim of the present study was to carry out a systematic research on bitterness quantification to provide a reference for scholars and pharmaceutical developers to carry out drug taste masking research. Significance: The bitterness of medications poses a significant concern for clinicians and patients. Scientifically measuring the intensity of drug bitterness is pivotal for enhancing drug palatability and broadening their clinical utility. The current study was carried out by conducting a systematic literature review that identified relevant papers from indexed databases. Numerous studies and research are cited and quoted in this article to summarize the features, strengths, and applicability of quantitative bitterness assessment methods. In our research, we systematically outlined the classification and key advancements in quantitative research methods for assessing drug bitterness, including in vivo quantification techniques such as traditional human taste panel methods, as well as in vitro quantification methods such as electronic tongue analysis. It focused on the quantitative methods and difficulties of bitterness of natural drugs with complex system characteristics and their difficulties in quantification, and proposes possible future research directions. The quantitative methods of bitterness were summarized, which laid an important foundation for the construction of a comprehensive bitterness quantification standard system and the formulation of accurate, efficient and rich taste masking strategies.

Taste Sensor Assessment of Bitterness in Medicines: Overview and Recent Topics.

In recent decades, taste sensors have been increasingly utilized to assess the taste of oral medicines, particularly focusing on bitterness, a major obstacle to patient acceptance and adherence. This objective and safe method holds promise for enhancing the development of patient-friendly medicines in pharmaceutical companies. This review article introduces its application in measuring the intensity of bitterness in medicine, confirming the achievement of taste masking, distinguishing taste differences between branded and generic medicines, and identifying substances to suppress bitterness in target medicines. Another application of the sensor is to predict a significant increase in bitterness when medicine is taken with certain foods/beverages or concomitant medication. Additionally, to verify the sensor's predictability, a significant correlation has been demonstrated between the output of a bitter-sensitive sensor designed for drug bitterness (BT0) and the bitterness responses of the human taste receptor hT2R14 from BitterDB (huji.ac.il). As a recent advancement, a novel taste sensor equipped with lipid/polymer membranes modified by 3-Br-2,6-dihydroxybenzoic acid (2,6-DHBA), based on the concept of allostery, is introduced. This sensor successfully predicts the bitterness of non-charged pharmaceuticals with xanthine skeletons, such as caffeine or related compounds. Finally, the future prospects of taste sensors are discussed.

Taste-Masked Pellets of Warfarin Sodium: Formulation towards the Dose Personalisation.

The bitter drug, warfarin, has a narrow therapeutic index (NTI) and is used in paediatrics and geriatrics. The aim of this feasibility study was to formulate the taste-masked warfarin-containing pellets to be applicable for dose personalisation and to improve patient compliance, as well as to investigate the effect of the core type (PharSQ® Spheres M, CELPHERE™ CP-507, and NaCl) on the warfarin release from the Kollicoat® Smartseal taste-masking-coated pellets. The cores were successfully drug-loaded and coated in a fluid-bed coater with a Wurster insert. An increase in particle size and particle size distribution was observed by optical microscopy. In saliva-simulated pH, at the Kollicoat® Smartseal level of 2 mg/cm2, none of the pellets demonstrated drug release, confirming their efficient taste-masking. However, in a stomach-simulated pH, a faster drug release was observed from PharSQ® Spheres M- and CELPHERE™ CP-507-coated pellets in comparison with NaCl cores. Additional experiments allowed us to explain the slower drug release from NaCl-containing pellets because of the salting-out effect. Despite the successful taste masking, the drug release from pellets was relatively slow (not more than 91% per 60 min), allowing for further formulation improvements.

Thiazolidinediones are Partially Effective Bitter Blockers

PurposeThe bad bitter taste of some medicines is a barrier to overcoming noncompliance with medication use, especially life-saving drugs given to children and the elderly. Here, we evaluated a new class of bitter blockers (thiazolidinediones, TZDs). MethodsIn this study, 2 TZDs were tested, rosiglitazone (ROSI) and a simpler form of TZD, using a high-potency sweetener as a positive control (neohesperidin dihydrochalcone, NHDC). We tested bitter-blocking effects using the bitter drugs tenofovir alafenamide fumarate (TAF), a treatment for HIV and hepatitis B infection, and praziquantel (PRAZ), a treatment for schistosomiasis, by conducting taste testing with 2 separate taste panels: a general panel (N = 97, 20–23 years, 82.5% female, all Eastern European) and a genetically informative panel (N = 158, including 68 twin pairs, 18–82 years, 76% female, 87% European ancestry). Participants rated the bitterness intensity of the solutions on a 100-point generalized visual analog scale. FindingsPerson-to-person differences in drug bitterness were striking; TAF and PRAZ were weakly or not bitter for some people but moderately to highly bitter for others. Participants in both taste panels rated the bitter drugs TAF and PRAZ as less bitter on average when mixed with NHDC than when sampled alone. ROSI partially suppressed the bitterness of TAF and PRAZ, but effectiveness differed between the 2 panels: bitterness was significantly reduced for PRAZ but not TAF in the general panel and for TAF but not PRAZ in the genetically informative panel. ROSI was a more effective blocker than the other TZD. ImplicationsThese results suggest that TZDs are partially effective bitter blockers and the suppression efficacy differs from drug to drug, from person to person, and from panel to panel, suggesting other TZDs should be designed and tested with more drugs and on diverse populations to define which ones work best with which drugs and for whom. The discovery of bitter receptor blockers can improve compliance with medication use.

A Review on Liquid Dosage Form

Liquid dosage forms are formulations that are administered through oral, parenteral and topical routes. Liquid dosage forms have better patient compliance as compared to other dosage forms hence, mainly used in paediatric patients. Also, during formulation the drugs are uniformly dispensed in liquid dosage form. It masks the taste of bitter, salty and nauseous drugs. This dosage form enhances the drug absorption and in turn, drug bioavailability. During formulation, some non-therapeutic agents (additives) are added that not have any pharmacological potential but still used to enhance the stability, appearance and efficacy of the dosage form to provide better compliance.

Exploring co-crystallisation as a technique for taste-masking of nevirapine

The supramolecular aggregation of drug and co-former after co-crystal dissolution influences the taste of the material and offers a route to taste-masking of bitter drugs.

Solubility and Taste Masked Behaviour of Cyclodextrin Molecular Inclusion Complex of Lumefantrin

Lumefantrine is an antimalarial drugs used especially for pediatric persons. β-Cyclodextrine is used to improve the taste of lumefantrine by forming complexes with them by the solvent evaporation method, respectively. β-Cyclodextrine prevent the release of drug in the saliva. Lumefantrine is a bitter drug. So masking of bitter taste in the formulation is a prerequisite as it improves the compliance of the patient and product value. Lumefantrine with β-cyclodextrin in a drug-polymer ratio 1:1 gave complete taste masking with a satisfactory result obtained in term of in-vivo and in-vitro evaluation visual inspection revealed that lumefantrine was yellow-crystalline. The melting point of lumefantrine was found to be 127℃, respectively. The standard calibration curve of Lumefantrine shows a slope 0.0108 and a correlation coefficient of 0.9997. Compatibility studies show that drugs are compatible with polymers. Solubility study show that the solubility of both drugs are increased in phosphate buffer 6.8 by successfully forming a complex with β-cyclodextrin. The solubility of lumefantrine in saliva (pH 6.8) is 0.408 mg/mL, after complex forming with β-cyclodextrine the solubility of (Lumefantrine complex) is 0.526 mg/mL. In an in-vitro drug release investigation, taste masking occurs when the amount of drug substance in dissolved media is either below the detection threshold for recognizing its taste or is undetectable in the early time points (between 0 and 5 minutes). Taste masking (Taste perception test) 11 volunteers are selected for this test, results show that complex is taste masked successfully. Lumefantrine with β-Cyclodextrine complex is a hopeful approach to enhance solubility, dissolution and drug taste.

Palatability Evaluation of Sulfamethoxazole/Trimethoprim with Sweetener Using the Two-Bottle Choice Test.

Drug taste, which affects palatability, influences drug adherence. Sensory masking may be used to confound bitter tastes in drugs with other tastes and flavors; however, evaluation of sensory masking is difficult because of the existence of multiple tastes. In this study, a new two-bottle choice test was performed in rats to evaluate bitterness masking and determine the drug-to-sweetener ratio that significantly improves palatability. Sulfamethoxazole and trimethoprim were used as model bitter drugs, and sucralose was used as sweetener. The addition of sucralose and trimethoprim at a 0.13 : 1 ratio resulted in the greatest improvement in preference. This method is a useful new technique for evaluating the palatability of drug formulations.

Taste Masking of Bitter Drugs in Pharmaceutical Suspension: A Review

One of the most vital factors in the formulation of medications for children, the elderly, immobile patients, and uncooperative patients is taste, which is mainly controlled by taste buds in the tongue. The biggest challenge for the compounding scientists is to mask the unpleasant and bitter tastes of the pharmaceuticals, which prevent patients from obtaining the full therapeutic benefit of their prescription. In order to increase patient compliance, which ultimately determines the product's economic success, it may be possible to mask the bitter taste of medications. Inclusion complexation, the use of ion exchange resin, mass extrusion, solid dispersions, coating granulation, spray drying, microencapsulation, liposomes, emulsions, and gel formation effervescence are current methods of flavour masking. Active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) taste masking is an area that is constantly developing because of unusual excipients and a variety of techniques.

Taste Masking Cetirizine Hydrochloride using Ion-exchange Resins

Aim: The scope of the study is to determine the exact drug content present in the dry resinate and the utilization of ion-exchange resin in taste masking highly bitter cetirizine hydrochloride (CTZ). The Amberlite® IRP-69 cross-linked polystyrene was used. Objective: The objectives of this study are drug loading, drug–resin ratios, effect of particle size determination, and qualitative evaluation of taste masking ion-exchange resins. Background: The resinate (drug–resin complex) preparation process was completed by batch method in the ratio of 1:1, 1:2, and 1:3. The loaded drug amount in the resin was evaluated spectrophotometrically by measuring the remaining drug to be loaded in the solution at 278nm. Different sieve sizes of Amberlite® IRP-69 resins were employed to determine the effect of the particle size in drug loading and drug releasing profiles in simulated gastric fluid without enzymes. The X-ray diffractograms of cetirizine hydrochloride, Amberlite® IRP-69, and a mixture of cetirizine hydrochloride with resins (resinate) were obtained by using an X-ray diffractometer. Results: Resinates were developed by using single-batch and double-batch methods. Both of them are giving almost the same results of drug loading into ion-exchange resins. We selected 1:1 drug–resin ratio to see the effect of the particle size on the rate and extent of drug loading and drug releasing from the complex. In the 1:1 drug-to-resin ratio, almost 78% of the drug was involved in the complex after 24 hours; in the case of 2:1 and 3:1 ratios, only 49% and 25% of the drug were involved in the complex, respectively. Conclusion: Among many taste masking methods, the formation of resinates with an ion-exchange resin is simple and inexpensive. The present work reveals that the degree of bitterness of cetirizine hydrochloride is reduced to zero by strong cation-exchange resin. The present study deals on the scope of utilizing ion-exchange resins in taste masking cetirizine hydrochloride (CTZ), a highly bitter drug.

Development of a Hydroxypropyl-β-Cyclodextrin-Based Liquid Formulation for the Oral Administration of Propranolol in Pediatric Therapy.

Propranolol (PPN) is widely used in children to treat various cardiovascular diseases. The availability of a suitable PPN solution should avoid recourse to extemporaneous preparations of unknown/limited stability, as commonly made in hospital pharmacies. However, the development of pediatric PPN solutions is hindered by their instability to light and stability at pH ≈ 3, bitter taste, and the need to improve palatability and avoid co-solvents, flavoring agents, or preservatives that are potentially toxic. In this study, cyclodextrin (CD) complexation has been exploited to develop a safe, stable, and palatable oral pediatric solution of PPN. An initial screening among various CDs allowed us to select HPβCD for its good complexing ability and no toxicity. Drug-HPβCD physical mixtures or co-ground systems (1:1 or 1:2 mol:mol) were used to prepare 0.2% w/v drug solutions. Photo stability studies evidenced the protective effect of HPβCD, revealing a reduction of up to 75% in the drug degradation rate after 1 h of exposure to UV radiation. Storage stability studies showed unchanged physical-chemical properties and almost constant drug concentration after 6 months and under accelerated conditions (40 °C), despite the less aggressive pH (≈5.5) of the solution. The electronic tongue test proved that the HPβCD taste-masking properties improved the formulation palatability, with a 30% reduction in drug bitterness.

Preformulation and Long-Term Stability Studies of an Optimized Palatable Praziquantel Ethanol-Free Solution for Pediatric Delivery.

To date, the treatment for cysticercosis and neurocysticercosis consists of a single oral intake of praziquantel (5-10 mg/kg), which since it is only available as tablets, hinders its administration to pediatric patients. Praziquantel is a poorly water-soluble drug which represents a challenge for its formulation in solution, particularly for the pediatric population. Thus, this study aimed to develop a palatable solution for praziquantel using pharmaceutical-accepted co-solvent systems. A design of experiments approach was applied to identify the optimal conditions for achieving a suitable amount of praziquantel in solution using co-solvent mixtures. Thus, praziquantel solubility increased from 0.38 up to 43.50 mg/mL in the optimized system. A taste masking assay in healthy human volunteers confirmed a successful reduction of drug bitterness after the addition of selected flavors and a sweetener. Stability studies were also conducted at different temperatures (4, 25, and 40 °C) for 12 months Even though the presence of the three known impurities of praziquantel was observed, their amounts never exceeded the acceptance criteria of the USP. Thus, this novel approach should be considered a valuable alternative for further preclinical studies considering the high prevalence of this infection worldwide.

Role of Nanotechnology in Taste Masking: Recent Updates.

One of the important parameters in the case of dosage form is taste. Most of the drugs available in oral dosage form have an unpleasant taste which leads to patient incompliance and affects the success ratio of products in the market. Geriatric and paediatric patients suffer more with the bitter taste of medicines. According to the studies reported, it is found that 50% of the population have the problem swallowing tablets, especially the pediatric and geriatric population. Masking the taste of bitter drugs has become necessary in the pharmaceutical field and increasing interest of researchers to develop various methods for masking the bitter taste of drugs. Five major tastes, felt by our tongue are salt, sour, sweet, bitter, and umami. When the drug dissolves with saliva, drug molecules interact with taste receptors present on the tongue and give taste sensations. Although, many solid oral dosage forms like pills, and tablets have an additional advantage of masking and encapsulation of bitter taste drugs; however, they might not be effective for children because they may or may not swallow pills or tablets. There are various other methods that mask the bitter taste of drugs such as the addition of sweeteners and flavouring agents, granulation, coating, inclusion complexes, extrusion method, ion-exchange resins, etc, discussed in the first section of the article. The second part of this article consists of various nanotechnology-based drug delivery systems that were fabricated by researchers to mask the bitter taste of drugs. A brief of recent literature on various nanocarriers that were fabricated or developed for taste masking has been discussed in this part. A better understanding of these methods will help researchers and pharmaceutical industries to develop novel drug delivery systems with improved taste masking properties.

The Inhibitory Effect of Adenylic Acid on the Bitterness of the Antibacterial Combination Drug Trimethoprim/Sulfamethoxazole.

The purpose of the present study was to evaluate bitterness suppression effect of adenylic acid (AMP) as a nucleotide-derived nutrient enhancer on a bitter commercial drug. In the present study, we evaluated peripheral bitterness inhibition effect of AMP on the trimethoprim (TMP) and sulfamethoxazole (SMZ) combination formulation based on taste sensor. The taste sensor values of TMP solutions with different concentrations show large sensor output in correlation with the concentration of TMP, whereas no sensor output in shown for the SMZ solutions. Therefore, the bitterness of this combination formulation is mainly due to TMP. We evaluated the TMP bitterness inhibitory effects of AMP, sodium salt of AMP (AMP Na; sodium adenylate), sodium salt of GMP (GMP Na; sodium guanylate), and sodium salt of inosine monophosphate (IMP Na; sodium inosinate), and found that only AMP displayed very effective bitterness inhibition. MarvinSketch analysis revealed that potential electrostatic interaction between cationized TMP and anionized forms (II and III) of AMP may cause bitterness suppression. 1H-NMR study suggested an interaction of TMP and AMP molecules based on chemical shift perturbations and an interaction between the phosphate group of AMP and amino group of TMP. Lastly, conventional elution analysis simulating oral cavity capacity for up to one minute were performed using commercial TMP/SMZ combination granules. The sensor output gradually increased up to 60 s. The addition of AMP solution to the eluted sample at 60 s significantly decreased the bitterness sensor output of the eluted sample.

Antibacterial Activity of Bitter Drugs from Lingga Malay Ethnic in Riau Archipelago Against Bacterial Causing Skin and Diarrhea Diseases

Infection is the major threat to humanity caused by infectious agents. The most common infectious agent of human is the cause of skin and diarrhea diseases. Melayu Lingga people uses alternative medicine called obat pahit potion to treat skin and diarrhea diseases and mixes by Praktisi Obat Tradisional (POT). The purpose of this research was to determine antibacterial activity of the methanol extract from obat pahit potion against bacteria that cause skin diseases (Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 12600, Staphylococcus epidermidis ATCC 12228, Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 10145) and diarrhea (Escherichia coli ATCC 11775, Salmonella typhi ATCC 14028, Shigella flexneri ATCC 12022) by using disc diffusion method with variation of extract concentration (0.75 gr/ml, 0.5 gr/ml, and 0.25 gr/ml). Antibacterial activity was determined by measuring the inhibitory zone formed around the disc. Based on the result of antibacterial activity test, the largest inhibitory zone was found in S.aureus ATCC 12600, S.epidermidis ATCC 12228 and P.aeruginosa ATCC 10145 shown in POT Musai at 0.25 mg/ml concentrations with value 6,61 mm; 6,10 mm; and 10,11 mm. Meanwhile, antibacterial activity against E.coli ATCC 11775 shown in TMP Musai at 0.5 gr/ml concentration with value 4,47 mm. Antibacterial activity against S.typhi ATCC 14028 and S.flexneri ATCC 12022 shown in TMP Musai at 0.25 gr/ml concentration with value 8,20 mm and 11,73 mm.

Study on the taste-masking effect and mechanism of Acesulfame K on berberine hydrochloride

Objective In our previous taste-masking study, we found that Acesulfame K (AK) had a better taste-masking effect than other high-efficiency sweeteners for several representative bitter natural drugs in aqueous decoction. Furthermore, we performed a preliminary taste-masking study of AK for representative bitter API Berberine Hydrochloride (BH) and found that it had a good taste-masking effect. We also found that flocculent precipitation was generated in the BH solution, but it was not clear whether it was related to the good taste-masking effect. This study was conducted to explore the taste-masking effect and mechanism of AK on BH. Methods The taste-masking effect of AK on BH was evaluated based on the Traditional Human Taste Panel Method and the electronic tongue evaluation method. DSC, XRD, and molecular simulation techniques were used to explore the mechanism of AK on BH, from the macro level and molecular level, respectively. Results When evaluating the taste-masking effect, we found that 0.1% AK had the best taste-masking effect on BH, while higher concentrations had a worse taste-masking effect. DSC and XRD revealed that the flocculent precipitation was a complex AK-BH. Finally, by simulating the binding of AK, BH, and TAS2R46 receptors, we found the unique taste-masking mechanism of AK. Conclusion The sweet taste stimulus of AK can mask the bitter taste stimulus of BH, and AK can generate AK-BH with BH to reduce the contact between BH and bitter taste receptors. Additionally, it could block the expression of the TAS2R46 receptors.

Study on the Law of Traditional Chinese Medicine Use of Pancreatic Cancer Based on Data Mining

Based on the data mining technology, to mine and analyze the core prescriptions and compatibility rules of the treatment of pancreatic cancer in the journal literature, so as to provide the basis for the differentiation and treatment of pancreatic cancer. Methods: all traditional Chinese medicine prescriptions for the treatment of "pancreatic cancer" and "pancreatic head cancer" were retrieved from the database of CNKI. The database was established by WPS excel 2019 for frequency analysis, and the high-frequency drug properties and meridian related analysis were carried out by SPSS Clementine 12.0 software. Results: 114 prescriptions of traditional Chinese medicine were screened out, involving 162 prescriptions of traditional Chinese medicine, and 54 prescriptions of high frequency drugs (≥ 10 times) were obtained. It is mainly composed of heat clearing medicine and tonic medicine. Its sexual taste is mainly composed of warm, calm and cold. The most of them are liver and spleen meridians. The core drugs for pancreatic cancer were Poria cocos, Atractylodes macrocephala, dangshen, Pinellia ternate, tangerine peel, liquorice, Astragalus membranaceus and Hedyotis diffusa. And get pinellia, Atractylodes macrocephala, Poria, temperature, Xin, spleen, Xin, Gan, bitter and other drugs, performance combination. Conclusion: through this study, it is reflected that the treatment of pancreatic cancer should be mild and gentle, and at the same time, it should take into account the spleen and stomach transportation, supporting Qi, emphasizing that TCM should pay attention to the combination of disease and syndrome differentiation in the treatment of pancreatic cancer, which can provide clinical basis for the prescription of pancreatic cancer.

Formulation and Evaluation of Quinine sulfate Dispersible Tablets with Emphasis on Taste Masking using Cyclodextrin

Dispersible tablets (DTs), also termed quick dissolving, fast melting, fast dissolving, fast disintegrating and rapid dissolving tablets, are uncoated or film-coated tablets intended to be dispersed in water before administration giving a homogeneous dispersion. Conventional quinine tablets have bitter taste when broken or dispersed to allow administration for children. Cyclodextrins (CDs) are cyclic oligosaccharides whose structural feature gives a hydrophobic interior and a hydrophilic exterior are widely used to increase the solubility of poorly soluble drugs. Recent studies showed that CDs masked taste of bitter drugs. The main objective of the present study was to formulate Quinine Sulphate as dispersible tablets via direct compression using different ratios of super-disintegrants. Three formulae were prepared (F1: Crosspovidone 5%, F2: Crosscarmellose 5% and F3: combination of crosspovidone 2.5% + crosscarmellose 2.5%). Further formulation development was done for taste improvement; four formulae were prepared based on the ratio of Quinine: Hydroxy propyl β - Cyclodextrin (HP- βCD) and the method of preparation. The prepared dispersible tablets were then evaluated for various parameters like thickness, hardness, friability, weight variation, assay of content and dispersion time. In vitro drug release profile was also determined. F3 was selected as optimized formula since it showed good dispersion time (58 sec.), acceptable limits of quality control tests and highest percentage of drug released at the end of 10 minutes. Acceptable taste for F3 was achieved when Quinine was complex at the ratio of 1:2 Quinine HP- βCD and the complex dried from water as solvent. More studies using other concentrations and/or complication methods for Cyclodextrin or other approaches are recommended for better taste masking.