[Development of taste sensor for bitterness evaluation of drugs]

Yakugaku Zasshi. 2014;134(3):313-6. doi: 10.1248/yakushi.13-00234-2.
[Article in Japanese]

Abstract

In pharmaceutical fields, the palatability of drug formulation has been attracted, especially for children. It is excellent that pediatric medicines are delivered to a famine-stricken area on volunteer work. However, children cannot take extremely bitter drug because they are said to be highly sensitive to bitterness. Therefore, we contribute to the development of formulation palatable to children by providing pharmaceutical industry with "the measure of taste". In taste sensing technology, we established two methods to control the sensor's characteristics by optimizing both electric density and hydrophobicity of membrane. These innovative approaches enable the development advanced taste sensors to fulfill the 4 types of requirements: (1) The threshold of taste sensors must be the same as the human taste threshold; (2) Taste sensors must respond consistently to the same taste like the human tongue; (3) There must be a clearly defined unit of information from taste sensors; and (4) Taste sensors must detect interactions between taste substances.

Publication types

  • English Abstract
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Biosensing Techniques / methods*
  • Chemistry, Pharmaceutical
  • Humans
  • Taste*