Pharmaceutica Analytica Acta

Formulation design of taste masked pellets of Atomoxetine HCl for oral disintegrating dosage forms

3^rd International Conference and Exhibition on Pharmaceutics & Novel Drug Delivery Systems

April 08-10, 2013 Hilton Chicago/Northbrook, USA

Y A Chowdary, Y Deepthi Priya, K Murthy and B Seshagiri

Accepted Abstracts Oral: Pharmaceut Anal Acta

Abstract:

The purpose of this study was to develop taste masked pellets of Atomoxetine HCl for orally disintegrating dosage forms of Atomoxetine. In the previous study a number of attempts were done to mask the bitter taste of Atomoxetine HCl. However, bitter taste was not masked with the addition of sweetening agents and even by the drug-polymer complexes. Hence in the present study an attempt was made to mask the bitter taste of Atomoxetine HCl using micro encapsulation process as pellet coating technology with Fluid Bed Processor. MCC neutral pellets were used for drug layering. A good efficiency of coating was observed with the combination HPMC and HPC binders in drug layering process compared with the individual binders. Drug layered pellets were coated with different concentrations of Eudragit EPO polymer as taste masking layer. Even though Eudragit EPO polymer produces sufficiently elastic films on drug layered pellets at different concentrations, Bitterness threshold level decreased with increased concentration and finally at a concentration of 25 mg, Eudragit EPO was proven as a polymer to mask the bitterness of Atomoxetine HCl. This confirmed that the Fluidized Bed Process produced the most appropriate taste masked pellets of Atomoxetine HCl for oral disintegrating or fast disintegrating dosage forms.