Whether it is a solid tablet or an oral liquid formulation, vulnerable ages usually don’t consume any medicine. Vulnerable ages might include infants, toddlers, teenagers, and elderly people. Manufacturers have to mask the API (active pharmaceutical ingredient) and create the most suitable palate for that medicine.
For example, a person is designing a pediatric oral formulation. He may face several challenges like drug solubility, the choice of excipients, and drug preservatives. All these factors can impact palatability.
What is palatability?
Palatability is the extent of how pleasant or acceptable a pharmaceutical product is in terms of taste, smell, and overall sensory experience while consuming. Oral formulations are usually unbearable with taste and smell. It can be a leading cause of non-adherence among pediatric and geriatric patients. They might have difficulties swallowing. Poor palatability can affect long-term therapy.
Therefore, the EMA has issued guidelines for the pediatric population. According to the guidelines, we have mentioned three important drug preservatives that can act as flavors and increase palatability.
Eugenol
Eugenol is a bioactive compound obtained from various herbal plants. You can find it in clove, basil, and laurel. It has botanical availability, low cost, and a straightforward extraction process. Hence, it is easy for manufacturers to incorporate in medicinal formulations. Plus, eugenol has anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, anti-irritant, and anesthetic properties. In fact, eugenol is useful as a tooth-filling material, and to combat bacterial infections in dentistry.
Thymol
Thymol has been used by our ancestors for a long time. It was mainly used as a food additive to enhance taste and aroma. However, it can also be used as a drug preservative for safe consumption.
The US FDA has certified thymol for the recommended standards of food additives that comply with food safety.
Gamma terpene
Gamma-Terpinene is a natural product. You can find it in medicinal and aromatic plants like thyme. Its popular flavoring properties can make the medicine more palatable. Moreover, it possesses antioxidant and antibacterial properties that can get oxidized into p-cymene.
It has a pleasant citrus-like aroma which can mask unpleasant tastes in oral medications, especially in pediatric formulations.
If you are looking for drug preservatives or flavoring agents, contact SBBLG today! They are one of the leading drug preservative suppliers In India.
