Taste masking formulation for bitter natural compounds

1. A taste masked nutraceutical or dietary supplement formulation comprising a complex between at least one bitter natural compound and a polymer, wherein the polymer is a synthetic polymer or a natural polymer;

wherein the synthetic polymer is selected from the group consisting of:

a copolymer consisting of an unsubstituted Cl to C 4 alkyl ester of acrylic acid, methacrylic acid, or a mixture thereof; and methacrylic acid; and

a cationic copolymer of an unsubstituted Cl to C 4 alkyl ester of acrylic acid, methacrylic acid, or a mixture thereof; and a cationic methacrylic ester;

wherein the natural polymer is shellac; and

wherein:

the ratio of the bitter natural compound to the polymer ranges from 10:1 to 1:10;

the complex exhibits hydrophobic polymeric drug interactions between a hydrophobic part of the polymer and the bitter natural compound; and

the formulation does not include both a synthetic polymer and a natural polymer.

2. The taste masked nutraceutical or dietary supplement formulation as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the bitter natural compound is an extract of a plant part, said plant part being obtained from a plant selected from the group consisting of Bacopa monnieri, Azadirachta indica, Momordica charantia, Picrorhiza kurroa, Mangifera indica, Garcinia mangostana, Boswellia serrata, Withania somnifera , and Andrographis paniculata.

3. The taste masked nutraceutical or dietary supplement formulation as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the taste masked formulation further comprises at least one additional ingredient selected from the group consisting of flavoring agents, sweeteners, effervescent materials, and diluents or carriers;

wherein the at least one additional ingredient is suitable for making chewable tablets, orodispersible tablets, dry syrups, dry powders for suspension, suspensions, disintegrating tablets, fast dissolving tablets, or sachets.

4. The taste masked nutraceutical or dietary supplement complex as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the bitter natural compound is an extract of Bacopa monnieri.

5. The taste masked nutraceutical or dietary supplement formulation as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the bitter natural compound is an extract of Bacopa monnieri standardised to 20-70% total bacosides by UV spectrometric method of analysis and/or 5-25% total bacosides by HPLC method of analysis.

6. The taste masked nutraceutical or dietary supplement formulation as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the bitter natural compound is an extract of Bacopa monnieri , said extract of Bacopa monnieri comprising the bacosides bacoside A3, Bacopaside I, bacopaside II, jujubogenin isomer of bacopasaponin C, and bacopasaponin C.

7. A taste masked nutraceutical or dietary supplement formulation comprising at least one bitter natural compound and a polymer, wherein:

the ratio of the bitter natural compound to the polymer ranges from 10:1 to 1:10;

the polymer is a cationic synthetic copolymer of a Cl to C 4 alkyl ester of acrylic acid, methacrylic acid, or a mixture thereof; and an aminoalkyl methacrylic ester;

the at least one bitter natural compound has hydroxy groups; and

a bitter natural compound-polymer complex is formed between the cationic synthetic copolymer and the hydroxy groups on the at least one bitter natural compound.

8. A process for preparation of the taste masked nutraceutical or dietary supplement formulation as claimed in claim 7 , comprising

a) complexation of the bitter natural compound with the cationic synthetic copolymer in a solvent having a dielectric constant in the range of 4 to 40, and

b) co-precipitating the bitter natural compound-polymer complex using an anti-solvent having a dielectric constant in the range of 40 to 120.

9. The process for preparation of the taste masked nutraceutical or dietary supplement formulation as claimed in claim 4 , wherein said complexation comprises:

Preparing a solution of the cationic synthetic copolymer in the solvent having a dielectric constant in the range of 4 to 40 under vigorous stirring; and

Preparing a solution of the bitter natural compound in the solution of the cationic synthetic copolymer under vigorous stirring, wherein the ratio of the bitter natural compound to the polymer ranges from 10:1 to 1:10.

10. The process for the preparation of the taste masked nutraceutical or dietary supplement formulation as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the polymer is selected from the group consisting of Poly(butyl methacrylate-co-(2-demethylaminoeethyl) methacrylate-co-methyl methacrylate), Poly(ethyl acrylate-co-methyl methacrylate-co-trimethylammonioethyl methacrylate chloride) and Poly(butyl methacrylate-co-(2-dimethylaminoethyl)methacrylate-co-methyl methacrylate).

11. The process for the preparation of the taste masked nutraceutical or dietary supplement formulation as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the solvent having a dielectric constant in the range of 4 to 40 is selected from the group consisting of Ethanol, Methanol, Isopropyl alcohol, Ethyl acetate, Acetone, Butanol, Methylene chloride, 1N Hydrochloric acid, Butyl glycerol and Benzyl alcohol.

12. The process for the preparation of the taste masked nutraceutical or dietary supplement formulation as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the bitter natural compound is selected from the group consisting of extracts of Bacopa monnieri, Azadirachta indica,Momordica charantia, Picrorhiza kurroa, Mangifera indica, Garcinia mangostana, Boswellia serrata, Withania somnifera, Andrographis paniculate , and mixtures thereof.

13. The process for preparation of taste masking nutraceutical or dietary supplement formulations of bitter natural compounds as claimed in claim 4 , wherein said co-precipitating comprises:

co-precipitating the polymer and the bitter compound by addition of an anti-solvent having a dielectric constant in the range of 40 to 120 to the solution of polymer and bitter compound.

14. The process for preparation of taste masking nutraceutical or dietary supplement formulations of bitter natural compounds as claimed in claim 4 , further comprising:

separating a bitter compound-polymer complex from the solution of polymer and bitter compound by filtration; and

drying and pulverizing the bitter compound-polymer complex, followed by sieving the pulverized complex through an appropriate mesh to obtain the taste masked nutraceutical or dietary supplement formulation.

15. The process for the preparation of the taste masked nutraceutical or dietary supplement formulation as claimed in claim 14 , wherein the ratio between the solvent and the anti-solvent is in the range of 1: 1 to 1: 10.

16. The process for the preparation of the taste masked nutraceutical or dietary supplement formulation as claimed in claim 14 , wherein the anti-solvent having a dielectric constant in the range of 40 to 120 is selected from the group consisting of Water, 1.0-7.8 pH buffer, Methylene ketone, Ethylene glycol, Chlorinated Hydrocarbon, Aliphatic and aromatic organic solvents, Esters, and 2-5% w/v Sodium chloride.

17. A dosage form comprising a taste masked nutraceutical or dietary supplement formulation comprising at least one bitter natural compound and a polymer,

wherein the polymer is a synthetic polymer or a natural polymer;

wherein the synthetic polymer is selected from the group consisting of:

a copolymer consisting of an unsubstituted Cl to C 4 alkyl ester of acrylic acid, methacrylic acid, or a mixture thereof; and methacrylic acid; and

a cationic copolymer of an unsubstituted Cl to C 4 alkyl ester of acrylic acid, methacrylic acid, or a mixture thereof; and a cationic methacrylic ester;

wherein the natural polymer is selected from the group consisting of:

shellac, chitosan, and a mixture thereof;

wherein the ratio of the bitter natural compound to the polymer ranges from 10:1 to 1:10; and

wherein the dosage form is a tablet, a capsule, or a dry syrup.

18. The dosage form as claimed in claim 17 , wherein the dosage form is a tablet selected from the group consisting of an orodispersible tablet, a chewable tablet, an effervescent tablet, a non-effervescent tablet, a sublingual tablet, and a buccal tablet.

19. The dosage form as claimed in claim 17 , wherein the polymer is shellac, and the ratio of the bitter natural compound to the shellac ranges from 1:1 to 1:10.

20. The dosage form as claimed in claim 17 , wherein the dosage form is a tablet or a capsule.