Confectionery xylitol gum-containing tablets for medical application and the sintering effect on gum tablets

Abstract

Confectionery ingredients are expected to enhance the medication adherence of pediatric patients taking bitter-tasting drugs when adequate pediatric medicines are not available in practical settings. Gum is a familiar confectionery, and several drug-loaded gums are on the market as medicated chewing gums. In this study, medical gum tablets composed of confectionery xylitol gum and a drug (ibuprofen or acetaminophen) were prepared and evaluated for the purpose of potential hospital applications. The effect of the sintering process, a heating treatment, on the physical properties of the solid materials was also examined. The sintering process markedly improved the hardness of the gum tablets. The sintering temperature and time affected the hardness of both ibuprofen- and acetaminophen-loaded gum tablets, whereas heat treatment around the melting point of ibuprofen or xylitol and longer heat treatment resulted in failure of the preparation or a reduction in hardness. The sintered gum tablets exhibited a delayed drug release profile in artificial saliva after an in vitro chewing test. The current results provide basic and useful information about the preparation of gum-containing tablets in future clinical settings.