Theoretical design of taste masking for amino acid or basic drugs using a taste sensor

本研究的目的是建立一种利用多通道味觉传感器对含有氨基酸或药物的溶液的苦味进行定量预测的方法。我们定量评价了支链氨基酸：L-异亮氨酸、L-亮氨酸、L-缬氨酸等不同浓度氨基酸的苦味，并测量了不同适口性等级的强度。添加香料对降低支链氨基酸溶液的苦味非常有效，因为有机酸是最有效的减少苦味的方法。(参考文献1)而苦味或咸味与总适口性呈负相关(参考文献2)。抗生素作为基本药物，通过传感器测量来评价儿科药物的苦味。预测数据与味觉结果的实测值相关联，可通过味觉传感器的使用预测干糖浆的苦味增强(参考文献3)。对于含有硫胺素或中草药成分的商品营养饮料，可通过味觉传感器预测人体味觉的实测值(参考文献4)。从而证明了味觉传感器在基础药物或氨基酸预测中的应用。

The purpose of this study was to develop a quantitative prediction method for the determination of the bitterness of solutions containing amino acids or medicines using a multichannel taste sensor.In related to amino acids, we focused on taste of elemental diets. We quantitively evaluate the bitterness of various concentrated of various type of amino acids such as BCAA : L-isoleucine, L-leucine, L-valine.In related to palatability for them, intensities for various palatability scales were measured. The addition of flavors was so effective in reducing the bitterness intensities of BCAA solutions since organic acid was the most effective for reducing the bitterness. (reference No.1) Whereas the bitterness or saltiness was negatively correlated with total palatability (reference No.2).The antibiotics which are basic medicines, taste, the bitterness of pediatric medicines were evaluated by sensor measurement. The predicted data was correlated with obtained value in gustatory sensation result and bitterness enhancement of dry syrup could be predicted by taste sensor usage (reference No.3).In the case of commercial nutritive drinks which containing thiamine or herbal medicine ingredients, obtained value in human gustatory sensation could be predicted by taste sensor (reference No.4). Thus the usefulness of taste sensor was demonstrated in prediction of basic medicines or amino acids.