EVALUATION OF HOT MELT COATING AS TASTE MASKI NG TOOL

Abstract

In the present study, hot melt technique has been evaluated as a tool to mask bit ter or unpleasant taste of Brom hexine hydrochloride and Salbutamol sulphate formulated as pellets. Bees wax and cetyl alcohol were evaluated as hot melt coating materials for ta ste masking . Drug conta ining pellets were prepared and coated using hot melt technique. Threshold bitterness concentrations of drugs and taste evaluation of hot melt coated pellets were determined by panel method. The pellets of a ll the formulation batches were in the size range of 825 to 995 μ after hot melt coating. P ellets exhibited uniformity of content in the range of 97.6 – 101.1%. Threshold bitterness concentration of both the drugs was found to be about 300 µg/ml. A mount of drug released from all pellets batches was less than threshold bitterness concentration for first 5 min utes indicating that taste of the drug was completely masked. Taste evaluation study of hot melt coated pellets by panel method revealed that about 80 % of the volunteers sensed no bitter taste even at 2 and 3% coating level whereas none of the volunteer reported bitter taste for pellets coated at 5%w/w level. Bees wax and cetyl alcohol both found to be better taste m asking agents fo r Bromhexine hydrochloride and Salbutamol sulphate , when u sed by hot me lt technique.