APPLICATION OF GEL FORMATION FOR TASTE MASKING

Masking of the bitter taste from tablets by a water-insoluble gel form ed by sodium alginate and bivalent metal was studied, Amiprilose hydro chloride was selected as the model drug with a bitter taste, and its c ore tablet was prepared, The core tablet was under-coated with sodium alginate and over-coated with calcium gluconate as a bivalent metal, o r it was under-coated with calcium gluconate and over-coated with sodi um alginate in order to form a gel on the surface of the tablet in the mouth at oral administration, The taste masking was evaluated by the amount of amiprilose hydrochloride released from the tablet, In additi on, cross sections of the tablets subjected to a dissolution test were observed by scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray microanalysis to evaluate the component distribution of the coated lay ers and behavior of the drug. Water-insoluble gel on the surface of th e tablet was minimally formed by under-coating with sodium alginate an d over-coating with calcium gluconate, and its masking time was 1 min, On the other hand, water-insoluble gel was formed by under-coating wi th calcium gluconate and over-coating with sodium alginate, and its ma sking time was relatively long, These results suggest that the gel for mation on the surface of tablets by under-coating with calcium glucona te and over-coating with sodium alginate is useful for taste masking o f tablets in the mouth at the time of oral administration.