Development of dispersible tablets for the pediatric treatment of malaria using ion exchange resins

Among the best-known parasitic diseases, malaria remains endemic mainly in the tropics, including the Brazilian Amazon, with the largest number of victims being children aged 0 to 5 years. Currently, the drugs most used in treatment (primaquine diphosphate and chloroquine diphosphate) are available in tablet form, making it difficult to administer to children under five years of age. Approaches to improve the acceptance of these medicines include complexation with ion exchange resins, to mask the bitter taste of drugs, and the preparation of sweetened and flavored formulations. The absence of local or systemic side effects, associated with the great physical and chemical stability of the resinate complexes obtained, added to the insolubility of these resins in the gastrointestinal tract, favor the use of this material as adjuvants in pediatric formulations. The development of specific medicines for pediatric patients has always been a challenge for formulators. Acceptance of oral medications by children is complex and is related to a variety of factors, including the palatability of the formulation. The oral route is considered the most convenient, safe and least expensive way of administering medications. Among the different pharmaceutical forms that exist for administering medications via this route, dispersible or orally disintegrating tablets are recognized as promising for use in pediatric patients, especially due to their rapid disintegration properties, which can be administered without the aid of water and without have swallowing problems. The fact that dispersible tablets can be formulated with flavors acceptable for children further increases the importance of these pharmaceutical forms in the treatment of this group of patients.

Drug-based Strategies
Product Development
Vulnerable Populations

Jun 2022 — Jun 2024

Brazil