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Innovative, Sugar-Free Oral Hydrogel as a Co-administrative Vehicle for Pediatrics: a Strategy to Enhance Patient Compliance

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Abstract

Palatability and swallowability in the pediatric population are perceived as true challenges in the oral administration of medication. Pediatric patients have high sensitivity to taste and reduced ability to take solid dosage forms, which can often lead to a poor therapeutic compliance. It is crucial to find new strategies to simplify the oral administration of drugs to children. The present paper reports the development of a new hydrogel vehicle adapted to the pediatric population. Several polymers with similar properties were selected and adjustments were made to obtain the desired characteristics of the final product. The developed formulations were studied for organoleptic properties, rheology, mucoadhesion properties, preservative efficacy, and stability. Physical and chemical compatibilities between the vehicle and several drugs/medicines, at the time of administration, were also studied. Six final formulations with different polymers, odor, and color were chosen, and no known interactions with medications were observed. The proposed new oral vehicles are the first sugar-free vehicle hydrogels designed to make the intake of oral solid forms a more pleasant and safer experience for pediatric patients.

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Funding

This research was funded by FCT (Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia) through iMed.ULisboa UID/DTP/04138/2020 and UIDB/04138/2020). Joana Marto is financed through FCT, I.P., under the Scientific Employment Stimulus—Institutional Call (CEECINST/00145/2018).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Research Institute for Medicines (iMed.ULisboa), Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal

    Margarida Pereira, Filipa Cosme Silva, Sandra Simões, Helena Margarida Ribeiro, António José Almeida & Joana Marto

  2. Pharmaceutical Services, Unidade de Farmácia Pediátrica, Hospital de Santa Maria, Centro Hospitalar Universitário Lisboa Norte, EPE, Lisbon, Portugal

    Filipa Cosme Silva

Authors
  1. Margarida Pereira
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  2. Filipa Cosme Silva
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  3. Sandra Simões
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  4. Helena Margarida Ribeiro
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  5. António José Almeida
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  6. Joana Marto
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Contributions

M. P., F. C. S., and J. M. conceived and designed the research. M. P. wrote the manuscript. M. P.., F. C. S., S. S., H. M. R., A. J. A., and J. M. reviewed and edited the manuscript. All authors have read and approved the manuscript for publication.

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Correspondence to Joana Marto.

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Pereira, M., Silva, F.C., Simões, S. et al. Innovative, Sugar-Free Oral Hydrogel as a Co-administrative Vehicle for Pediatrics: a Strategy to Enhance Patient Compliance. AAPS PharmSciTech 23, 107 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1208/s12249-022-02265-1

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