Pharmaceutical synthetic flavoring agents play a key role in the industry. They can improve the drug's taste to make them more palatable. Flavors become an irreplaceable item especially when it comes to children and elderly patients.
Most medications contain API (active pharmaceutical Ingredient) that can have a bitter or unpleasant taste. Their unbearable taste can lead to medicinal resistance. Children of the age group 5-13 may not consume it at all for general treatment.
Fortunately, pharmaceutical companies address these issues by incorporating flavors into the formulations. Medicinal palatability contributes to consistent treatment and better therapeutic outcomes.
How do industries use flavoring agents in pharmaceutical products?
Most industries stick to solid and liquid drug formulations. However, solid drugs need more flavor masking than cough syrups, solutions, etc. They introduce solid powder flavoring agents in the blending stage of dry granulation or after wet granulation. If they are using liquid synthetic flavors, they may coat them onto powders to form dry flavor powders.
On the other hand, the wet granulation process is slightly different. Industries add liquid flavoring agents directly to the mix. These liquid flavoring agents are more commonly used in syrups and in topical formulations. They might use the flavoring agents individually or in combinations.
However, they must adjust the formulation in varying ratios to achieve the desired taste. Generally, liquid flavoring agents or flavor oils are used at concentrations from 0.5% to 0.75%. This range ensures they do not interfere with the physical properties of the tablet.
Two popular flavoring agents used in pharmaceuticals:
Menthol
Menthol is a widely used flavoring agent in pharmaceutical preparations. You can find it in antacid tablets, suspension, and cough syrups. It can give a cooling and refreshing sensation. It is used in 0.02–0.05% for inhalation and 0.003% for oral suspension. However, the oral syrup range of menthol is 0.005–0.015% and 0.2–0.4% for tablets.
Thymol
Thymol is another flavoring agent used in pharmaceutical formulations. It has soothing and antimicrobial effects. Concentrations can range from 0.1% to 1% in cough syrups whereas its mouthwash limit varies from 0.06% to 0.1%.
The rising demand for flavors in pharmaceuticals is inevitable. Hence, most companies are seeking a reliable supplier for their products. If you are looking for a bulk flavor supplier, visit SBBLG or email them at sales@sbblgroup.com. They are large-scale manufacturers/suppliers of flavors and boast more than three decades of experience. For more information, check out their recent certifications and all the compliance.
