---
_id: '13833'
abstract:
- lang: eng
  text: The taste of a drug formulation, especially of orodispersible and liquid dosage
    forms, is of crucial importance due to its direct contact with the human taste
    buds. In order to achieve high patient acceptance with these formulations, drugs
    with an unpleasant, predominantly bitter taste have to be masked. One strategy
    for masking taste particularly suitable for lipophilic drugs is to dissolve the
    drug molecules in lipid carrier systems, such as nanoemulsions. Although this
    strategy has often proven effective as a formulation strategy for improving bioavailability
    and masking an unpleasant taste, our study indicates that embedding the three
    poorly water-soluble model drugs fenofibrate, simvastatin, and naproxen in nanoemulsions
    led to newly created or increased bitterness compared to the non-formulated drug
    powders. We proved this using both an analytical taste sensor system, specifically
    an electronic tongue (e-tongue), and a sensory study with a human taste panel.
    Hereby, complete agreement between the e-tongue measurements and the sensory study
    was found despite the non-ionic character of fenofibrate and simvastatin. We hypothesize
    that the changed bitter taste impressions were due to the location of the drug
    molecules at the oil/water interfaces, which resulted in an increased bitter taste
    intensity and prolonged duration of the bitter taste. In summary, the study shows
    that incorporating drugs into lipid nanocarriers tended to worsen the taste rather
    than mask it.
article_number: '126993'
article_type: original
author:
- first_name: Julia
  full_name: Scholten, Julia
  last_name: Scholten
- first_name: Miriam
  full_name: Pein-Hackelbusch, Miriam
  id: '64952'
  last_name: Pein-Hackelbusch
  orcid: 0000-0002-7920-0595
- first_name: Martina
  full_name: Sokolowsky, Martina
  id: '76708'
  last_name: Sokolowsky
- first_name: Julien
  full_name: Park, Julien
  last_name: Park
- first_name: Denise
  full_name: Steiner, Denise
  last_name: Steiner
citation:
  ama: 'Scholten J, Pein-Hackelbusch M, Sokolowsky M, Park J, Steiner D. Formulation
    of poorly water-soluble drugs in lipid nanocarriers: a suitable approach for taste
    masking or bitter-taste enhancing? <i>International Journal of Pharmaceutics</i>.
    2026;699. doi:<a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijpharm.2026.126993">10.1016/j.ijpharm.2026.126993</a>'
  apa: 'Scholten, J., Pein-Hackelbusch, M., Sokolowsky, M., Park, J., &#38; Steiner,
    D. (2026). Formulation of poorly water-soluble drugs in lipid nanocarriers: a
    suitable approach for taste masking or bitter-taste enhancing? <i>International
    Journal of Pharmaceutics</i>, <i>699</i>, Article 126993. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijpharm.2026.126993">https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijpharm.2026.126993</a>'
  bjps: '<b>Scholten J <i>et al.</i></b> (2026) Formulation of Poorly Water-Soluble
    Drugs in Lipid Nanocarriers: A Suitable Approach for Taste Masking or Bitter-Taste
    Enhancing? <i>International Journal of Pharmaceutics</i> <b>699</b>.'
  chicago: 'Scholten, Julia, Miriam Pein-Hackelbusch, Martina Sokolowsky, Julien Park,
    and Denise Steiner. “Formulation of Poorly Water-Soluble Drugs in Lipid Nanocarriers:
    A Suitable Approach for Taste Masking or Bitter-Taste Enhancing?” <i>International
    Journal of Pharmaceutics</i> 699 (2026). <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijpharm.2026.126993">https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijpharm.2026.126993</a>.'
  chicago-de: 'Scholten, Julia, Miriam Pein-Hackelbusch, Martina Sokolowsky, Julien
    Park und Denise Steiner. 2026. Formulation of poorly water-soluble drugs in lipid
    nanocarriers: a suitable approach for taste masking or bitter-taste enhancing?
    <i>International Journal of Pharmaceutics</i> 699. doi:<a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijpharm.2026.126993">10.1016/j.ijpharm.2026.126993</a>,
    .'
  din1505-2-1: '<span style="font-variant:small-caps;">Scholten, Julia</span> ; <span
    style="font-variant:small-caps;">Pein-Hackelbusch, Miriam</span> ; <span style="font-variant:small-caps;">Sokolowsky,
    Martina</span> ; <span style="font-variant:small-caps;">Park, Julien</span> ;
    <span style="font-variant:small-caps;">Steiner, Denise</span>: Formulation of
    poorly water-soluble drugs in lipid nanocarriers: a suitable approach for taste
    masking or bitter-taste enhancing? In: <i>International Journal of Pharmaceutics</i>
    Bd. 699. Amsterdam, Elsevier BV (2026)'
  havard: 'J. Scholten, M. Pein-Hackelbusch, M. Sokolowsky, J. Park, D. Steiner, Formulation
    of poorly water-soluble drugs in lipid nanocarriers: a suitable approach for taste
    masking or bitter-taste enhancing?, International Journal of Pharmaceutics. 699
    (2026).'
  ieee: 'J. Scholten, M. Pein-Hackelbusch, M. Sokolowsky, J. Park, and D. Steiner,
    “Formulation of poorly water-soluble drugs in lipid nanocarriers: a suitable approach
    for taste masking or bitter-taste enhancing?,” <i>International Journal of Pharmaceutics</i>,
    vol. 699, Art. no. 126993, 2026, doi: <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijpharm.2026.126993">10.1016/j.ijpharm.2026.126993</a>.'
  mla: 'Scholten, Julia, et al. “Formulation of Poorly Water-Soluble Drugs in Lipid
    Nanocarriers: A Suitable Approach for Taste Masking or Bitter-Taste Enhancing?”
    <i>International Journal of Pharmaceutics</i>, vol. 699, 126993, 2026, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijpharm.2026.126993">https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijpharm.2026.126993</a>.'
  short: J. Scholten, M. Pein-Hackelbusch, M. Sokolowsky, J. Park, D. Steiner, International
    Journal of Pharmaceutics 699 (2026).
  ufg: '<b>Scholten, Julia u. a.</b>: Formulation of poorly water-soluble drugs in
    lipid nanocarriers: a suitable approach for taste masking or bitter-taste enhancing?,
    in: <i>International Journal of Pharmaceutics</i> 699 (2026).'
  van: 'Scholten J, Pein-Hackelbusch M, Sokolowsky M, Park J, Steiner D. Formulation
    of poorly water-soluble drugs in lipid nanocarriers: a suitable approach for taste
    masking or bitter-taste enhancing? International Journal of Pharmaceutics. 2026;699.'
date_created: 2026-07-01T09:13:47Z
date_updated: 2026-07-02T06:55:42Z
department:
- _id: DEP4024
doi: 10.1016/j.ijpharm.2026.126993
external_id:
  unknown:
  - 10.1016/j.ijpharm.2026.126993
intvolume: '       699'
keyword:
- Lipid-based formulations
- Time-intensity sensory study
- E-tongue measurements
- Taste-evaluation
- Bitter drugs
- Human taste panel
language:
- iso: eng
place: Amsterdam
publication: International Journal of Pharmaceutics
publication_identifier:
  eissn:
  - 1873-3476
  issn:
  - 0378-5173
publication_status: published
publisher: Elsevier BV
quality_controlled: '1'
related_material:
  link:
  - relation: research_paper
    url: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0378517326004412
status: public
title: 'Formulation of poorly water-soluble drugs in lipid nanocarriers: a suitable
  approach for taste masking or bitter-taste enhancing?'
type: scientific_journal_article
user_id: '83781'
volume: 699
year: '2026'
...