Formulation and Evaluation of Quinine sulfate Dispersible Tablets with Emphasis on Taste Masking using Cyclodextrin

Dispersible tablets (DTs), also termed quick dissolving, fast melting, fast dissolving, fast disintegrating and rapid dissolving tablets, are uncoated or film-coated tablets intended to be dispersed in water before administration giving a homogeneous dispersion. Conventional quinine tablets have bitter taste when broken or dispersed to allow administration for children. Cyclodextrins (CDs) are cyclic oligosaccharides whose structural feature gives a hydrophobic interior and a hydrophilic exterior are widely used to increase the solubility of poorly soluble drugs. Recent studies showed that CDs masked taste of bitter drugs. The main objective of the present study was to formulate Quinine Sulphate as dispersible tablets via direct compression using different ratios of super-disintegrants. Three formulae were prepared (F1: Crosspovidone 5%, F2: Crosscarmellose 5% and F3: combination of crosspovidone 2.5% + crosscarmellose 2.5%). Further formulation development was done for taste improvement; four formulae were prepared based on the ratio of Quinine: Hydroxy propyl β - Cyclodextrin (HP- βCD) and the method of preparation. The prepared dispersible tablets were then evaluated for various parameters like thickness, hardness, friability, weight variation, assay of content and dispersion time. In vitro drug release profile was also determined. F3 was selected as optimized formula since it showed good dispersion time (58 sec.), acceptable limits of quality control tests and highest percentage of drug released at the end of 10 minutes. Acceptable taste for F3 was achieved when Quinine was complex at the ratio of 1:2 Quinine HP- βCD and the complex dried from water as solvent. More studies using other concentrations and/or complication methods for Cyclodextrin or other approaches are recommended for better taste masking.