A New Method for Evaluating the Bitterness of Medicines in Development Using a Taste Sensor and a Disintegration Testing Apparatus

Abstract

Quinine hydrochloride, ticlopidine hydrochloride and sucrose were purchased from Wako Pure Chemical Industries, Ltd. (Osaka, Japan). Eperizone hydrochloride, donepezil hydrochloride and azelastine hydrochloride were manufactured by Eisai Co., Ltd. (Tokyo, Japan); k-, i-, and l-carrageenan and agar were gifts from Ina Food Industry Co., Ltd. (Nagano, Japan). The carrageenans are a polysaccharide family built up from subunits consisting of two galactose rings that carry an electric charge of up to three unit charges derived from dissociated sulfate groups. The ideal structures indicate that the k-, i-, and l-carrageenans should be characterized by one, two, or three charge units, respectively, per subgroup. 25) LM pectin was purchased from Sansho Co., Ltd. (Osaka, Japan); Ludiflash ® , a granulated product developed by BASF for production of ODTs by the direct tabletting The purpose of this study was to demonstrate the usefulness and wide applicability of a taste sensor and a new disintegration testing apparatus in the development and/or evaluation of orally disintegrating tablets (ODTs). In this paper, we described methods for the effective utilization of a taste sensor in the development of a new medicine. First we predicted the taste of propiverine hydrochloride, a model drug substance whose taste is unknown, using a taste sensor. Then we screened masking agents for their ability to suppress the bitterness of propiverine hydrochloride, and manufactured ODTs of propiverine hydrochloride with various masking agents. The tastes of these ODTs were then evaluated in chronological order by combining the taste sensor with the new disintegration testing apparatus, ODT-101, to resemble the oral cavity. As a result, we were able to evaluate the taste of propiverine hydrochloride and the effectiveness of various masking agents in ODTs. The result using this combination of taste sensor and ODT-101 shows good agreement with the results of human gustatory sensation testing, thus demonstrating the usefulness and applicability of the taste sensor and disintegration testing apparatus, ODT-101, in the development of new medicine. A New Method for Evaluating the Bitterness of Medicines in Development Using a Taste Sensor and a Disintegration Testing Apparatus

Taste of Milk from Inflamed Breasts of Breastfeeding Mothers with Mastitis Evaluated Using a Taste Sensor

“…The principles of the sensor have been described in detail. [13][14][15][16] In brief, transducers of the sensor comprise several lipid/polymer membranes. Immersing the transducers in sample solutions alters the electrical potential of each membrane.…”

“…However, a taste-sensing system based on a unique concept has been developed. [13][14][15][16] The sensor does not detect factors associated with taste in foodstuffs, but rather estimates the intensity of each basic taste by integrating electric signals through lipid/polymer membranes, which mimic the membrane receptors of human taste buds. 13 The sensor has been applied to several clinical studies, including evaluations of the palatability of bottled nutritive drinks 14 and of bitterness for the development of new drugs.…”

“…13 The sensor has been applied to several clinical studies, including evaluations of the palatability of bottled nutritive drinks 14 and of bitterness for the development of new drugs. 15,16 Therefore, specific milk tastes during mastitis could be quantified and identified. The present study objectively evaluates the taste of milk during early lactation using a test sensor to identify changes during mastitis.…”

Traditional Human Taste Panel and Taste Sensors Methods for Bitter Taste Masking Research on Combined Bitterness Suppressants of Berberine Hydrochloride

“…(1) Some of the most commonly used bitter-tasting drugs include aspirin, naproxen, and quinine. Recently, research into drug taste masking has been highlighted in the popular press (2)(3)(4)(5) with taste masking using bitterness suppressants (BSs) as an important topic. (6)(7)(8)(9)(10) BSs compensate for the bitter substance by blocking bitter taste receptors, truncating the bitterness signal transmission or by offering an even greater signal to the sweet receptors.…”

“…(25,26) It has increasingly been applied to pharmaceutical fields including the evaluation of drug bitterness and taste masking studies. (3,(27)(28)(29) Despite the reports of bitterness research using taste sensors, the literature has been largely silent on the utility of this novel scheme for traditional Chinese medicines. The importance of this class of drug is growing rapidly, but the bitterness masking is particularly challenging because of a wide variety of inactive ingredients present in these herbal decoctions and infusions.…”