The purpose of the study was to evaluate the ability of different beverages to mask the bitterness of zopiclone and eszopiclone in tablet formulations using the artificial taste sensor and human gustatory sensation testing. The beverages tested for bitterness-masking effects were: Mugicha, Sports beverage, Lactic acid drink, Orange juice and a diluted simple syrup (an 8.5% sucrose solution). The bitterness intensities estimated by the taste sensor of zopiclone or eszopiclone one-tablet solutions mixed with the various beverages, corresponded well with the observed bitterness intensities measured by gustatory sensation testing. The Sports beverage, Lactic acid drink and Orange juice significantly suppressed the bitterness intensity of both zopiclone and eszopiclone 1-tablet solutions compared with water when tested in the artificial taste sensor. Sports beverage, Lactic acid drink and Orange juice all contain citric acid as acidifier, so it was postulated that citric acid was involved in the mechanism of bitterness intensity suppression of zopiclone and eszopiclone 1-tablet solutions by these three beverages. It was then shown that citric acid suppressed the bitterness intensity of a zopiclone one-tablet sample solution in a dose-dependent manner. 1H-NMR spectroscopic analysis of mixtures of citric acid with zopiclone suggested that the carboxyl groups of citric acid interact with the amine group on zopiclone. This study therefore showed that the bitterness intensities of zopiclone and eszopiclone can be suppressed by citric-acid-contained beverages and suggests that this bitterness suppression is due to a direct electrostatic interaction between citric acid and the two drugs.
Keywords: bitterness-masking effect; eszopiclone; gustatory sensation test; taste sensor; zopiclone.