Taste preference for cough syrups: a comparative study of three codeine-containing medications

Area of Science:

• Pharmacology
• Drug Delivery Systems
• Sensory Science

Background:

• Unpleasant taste, especially bitterness from codeine, is a common issue with cough syrups.
• This can lead to poor patient compliance and reduced therapeutic efficacy.
• Developing palatable formulations is crucial for effective cough treatment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the taste acceptability of a novel coated drug-resin complex cough syrup containing codeine sulfate and chlorpheniramine maleate (CM).
• To compare the palatability of CM against two other commonly used codeine-containing cough syrups.
• To assess patient preference based on taste and sensory attributes.

Main Methods:

• A three-way crossover taste test involving 175 volunteers.
• Participants sequentially tasted three cough syrups: CM, promethazine hydrochloride with codeine (PH), and iodinated glycerol with codeine phosphate (IG).
• Taste was rated on a scale (-2 to +2), and preferences were ranked, with reasons for preference documented.

Main Results:

• CM achieved a significantly higher mean taste rating (0.97) compared to PH (0.14) and IG (-1.5).
• Statistically significant differences were found between CM and PH (P < 0.01) and CM and IG (P < 0.001).
• CM was preferred by most participants due to its sweet taste and smooth consistency, while bitterness was a key complaint for PH and IG.

Conclusions:

• The coated drug-resin complex formulation (CM) demonstrates superior taste acceptability over traditional codeine-containing cough syrups.
• This improved palatability is attributed to the formulation's ability to mask the bitterness of active ingredients.
• Enhanced user acceptability of CM offers a promising alternative for improving patient compliance in cough management.