TASTE MASKING: MOST COMMON TECHNIQUES USED IN PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRY

Ouhaddouch Hind*, Fahry Aicha, Cherkaoui Nawal and Elalaoui Yassir

ABSTRACT

There is four primary taste sensation which pose difficulty with the acceptability of oral drugs: bitter, sour, sweet and salty taste. the bitter taste is the one most accused of formulation problems due to its low threshold concentration. to remedy this situation, several taste masking techniques have been developed by playing with various parameters such as the decrease in the solubility of the drug in contact with saliva or the decrease in its surface of contact with taste buds. These techniques include adding of sweeteners, flavouring agents, use of granulation, microencapsulation, coating agents, complexing agents, ion exchange resins, viscosity enhancers and formation of prodrug and solid dispersion. The aim of this paper is to review the most methodologies and taste masking techniques used in pharmaceutical industry.

Keywords: Taste masking techniques, bitter drugs, taste buds, selection criteria.