An adult can consume pills within seconds. But when it comes to kids, it becomes a challenge. Hence, it's important to create a suitable pediatric drug. However, drug development for kids comes with stringent rules and regulations.
Since many active compounds create bitter sensations on the tongue, pharma teams solve this challenge with aroma chemicals. These can be used as flavoring agents in the creation of oral drugs. The European Medicines Agency suggests that taste remains one of the top reasons children refuse medicines.
Therefore, developers use aroma chemicals to modify the taste and aroma of pediatric drugs. These materials give formulation teams precise control. They also maintain stability, especially when going through long supply chains.
How are they used in pediatric drug development?
Many pediatric drugs need a sweet and familiar flavor. Aroma chemicals can create these experiences with consistency.
Here are a few popular examples in pediatric drug formulations:
Thymol
Thymol works well in pediatric oral syrups. Formulators use it to create a warm taste profile that masks bitterness from antibiotics.
Carvacrol
Carvacrol supports taste masking in pediatric suspensions. It carries a strong aromatic signature that covers metallic and chemical notes from APIs.
Peppermint derivatives
Menthol and menthone play a major role in pediatric formulations. They bring a cooling effect that produces a pleasant mouthfeel. Pharmaceutical formulators use menthol in syrups for cold, nasal congestion, and cough.
Developers also perform sensory studies. These studies measure how children respond to test samples. A report from the American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists explains that structured taste assessment increases the success rate of pediatric formulations.
Final thoughts
The role of aroma chemicals will grow in the future. The global pediatric formulation market keeps expanding as regulators push for child friendly medicines. Analysts expect steady growth across the next decade. Aroma chemicals will support this growth due to their reliability, safety, and controlled sensory performance.
If you are in the pharma business, SBBLG can help you. We supply high quality aroma chemicals that can be used in pediatric formulations. We are a large scale supplier of aroma chemicals that find multiple applications in the pharmaceutical sector. You can reach our team at sales@sbblgroup.com and get more details.
