Identification of taste critical quality attribute and formulation optimization of Xiaoer Qingrening Granules based on electronic tongue and human senses / 药学学报

ABSTRACT

This study primarily concentrated on scientific problems of poor taste caused by unclear critical quality attributes of oral preparations manufactured by Chinese materia medica, successfully established an identification method for taste critical quality attribute and a taste improvement method combining electronic tongue with human senses, and determined the optimal taste formula, to improve patients' oral medication compliance. The study received ethical approval from the Review Committee of the Beijing University of Chinese Medicine. The results showed that the proportion of bitterness of Xiaoer Qingrening Granule was 61.8%, and its bitterness grade was 3.70, it was determined that bitterness is the critical quality attribute that caused the poor taste of Xiaoer Qingrening Granule. Additionally, the optimal taste formula per milliliter of Xiaoer Qingrening sugar-free intermediate was determined with allowable daily intake, solubility, and sweetness as the limiting conditions, which was 40 mg hydroxypropyl β-cyclodextrin, 180 mg trehalose, and 1.5 mg acesulfame potassium. Compared with the Xiaoer Qingrening Granule, the sensory evaluation score of the optimal taste formula was increased by 37.5 points. In conclusion, this study achieved the taste improvement of Xiaoer Qingrening Granule and formed a set of taste improvement strategies including the identification of taste critical quality attribute, the selection of the type and dosage of corrigent, and the optimization of taste formula, which provided a thought reference for the taste improvement of other oral preparations and a new perspective for quality control of intelligent manufacturing of traditional Chinese medicines.