Formulation and characterization of taste masked ondansetron–magnesium aluminum silicate adsorption systems

Abstract

Context: Taste masking greatly influences the acceptability of bitter tasting formulation; moreover, it governs the commercial and therapeutic success of drug products.

Objective: This work is directed toward masking the bitter taste of ondansetron HCl (ONS) utilizing the excipient, which can delay the reach of drug to the taste buds.

Material and methods: Magnesium aluminum silicate (Veegum F), a clay material having capability to adsorb the drugs onto it, was used. The adsorption systems of ONS with Veegum were obtained by dynamic adsorption technique and examined by scanning electron microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction (XRD) for morphology, thermal behavior, and interactions. The taste assessment of prepared systems was done by in vitro method based on drug release.

Results: The molecular interaction between ONS and Veegum in the system was revealed by FTIR spectroscopy. A change in thermal behavior of the system was observed owing to interaction or replacement of the cationic groups of Veegum with that of ONS. XRD studies revealed that the prepared system was having lower crystallinity as compared to ONS. The in vitro drug release study showed that ONS release from the system was relatively slow in basic environment than the acidic one.

Discussion: Adsorption of ONS on the surface of Veegum was mainly due to electrostatic interactions and hydrogen bonding.

Conclusion: The experimental results reveal the successful intercalation of ONS into the space available between the layers of Veegum. Furthermore, this resulted in a control on drug release in salivary pH resulting in a concentration lower than bitterness threshold.

Keywords:

• Adsorption
• crystallinity
• desorption
• dissolution
• smectite
• Veegum

Acknowledgements

We acknowledge Tirupati Medicare Ltd. (Himachal Pradesh, India), and Theon Pharmaceuticals Ltd. (Himachal Pradesh, India) for providing gift samples of ONS and Veegum F, respectively.

Declarations of interest

The authors claim no declarations of interest.