The purpose of this research was to mask the intensely bitter taste of Racecadotril and to formulate oral-disintegrating tablet (ODT) of the taste-masked drug. Taste masking was done by complexing Racecadotril with aminoalkyl methacrylate copolymer (Eudragit E - 100) using solvent deposition method and acetone as a solvent for pH-sensitive polymer and was tested for drug content and in vitro taste in simulated salivary fluid (SSF) of pH 6.8. The complex with drug-polymer ratio of 1: 0.5 that did not release drug in SSF was considered taste-masked and selected for formulation of ODTs. The properties of tablets such as tensile strength, wetting time, water absorption ratio, in vitro disintegration time, and disintegration in the oral cavity were investigated to elucidate the wetting and disintegration characteristics of tablets. Tablets of batch F4 containing Croscarmellose sodium and Crospovidone in ratio 8:4 showed faster disintegration, within 8 seconds. Good correlation between in vitro disintegration behavior and in oral cavity was recognized. Taste evaluation of ODT in human volunteers revealed considerable taste masking. Racecadotril ODT also revealed rapid drug release in acetate buffer pH 4.5 with 1% SLS. Thus, results conclusively demonstrated successful masking of taste and rapid disintegration of the formulated tablets in the oral cavity.
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