Guntur medical students make drug for flu in chocolate form

To ensure that patients take medicines easily, pharmacy students of the Guntur Medical College have prepared Guaiphenesin, a drug used for cold, cough, infection and allergic reactions, in the form of a chocolate.

The students evaluated the composition of the active pharmaceutical ingredients with that of the cocoa butter, normal butter, cocoa powder, milk powder, icing sugar and sodium benzoate. Formulations of cocoa butter and normal butter were compared and it was found that normal butter ensured that the drug release was effective and as desired.

The formulations were found to be stable for one month and sugar played a major role in taste and acceptance. The study was published in the European Journal of Pharmaceutical and Medical Research.

Dr Sai Kiran, senior pharmacist, said, “The combination of medical chemicals with food ingredients requires a good consistency. In laboratory experiments these can prove to be effective but it remains to be seen in widescale use.”

He said factors like climate, transportation of medicines in non-air conditioned units and handling needed to be considered.

The study was carried out as patients complain of the taste of the medicine and their inability to take it in case of chronic ailments. Long term medication becomes a challenge. Using chemicals with chocolate combinations can help in increasing patient compliance but the production on a mass scale can be a challenge.