Therapeutic Research

Abstract

Background：Mixing YOKUKANSAN with deglutition aid jelly may help prevent aspiration during oral administration in patients with compromised deglutition. However, it is currently not possible to adequately communicate information on the taste preference of the patients due to the absence of information on the taste of YOKUKANSAN and deglutition aid jelly mixture. 　　Objective：The objective of this study was to evaluate the taste of the mixture of YOKUKANSAN（Tsumura Yokukansan Extract Granules, Tsumura Co., Ltd.）and five types of deglutition aid jellies（lemon, strawberry, grape, peach, and chocolate flavors, Ryukakusan Co., Ltd.）using a taste sensor（TS‒5000Z, Intelligent Sensor Technology, Inc.）. Six kinds of tastes, which included sourness, astringency, basic bitterness, bitterness, saltiness, and umami, were quantitatively measured to create taste radar charts. 　　Method：For taste evaluation, we measured six items, sourness, basic bitterness, bitterness, astringency, saltiness, and umami, using a taste sensor. 　　Results and Conclusion：All four jelly types（lemon, strawberry, grape, and peach flavors）mixed with YOKUKANSAN had similar taste radar chart shapes. Basic bitterness, bitterness, and astringency had similar values to the 1％（w/w）YOKUKANSAN taste radar chart, whereas sourness showed higher values. Compared to taste radar charts of 1％（w/w）YOKUKANSAN solutions, chocolate flavor suppressed basic bitterness. In contrast, sourness was comparable to that of the 1％（w/w）YOKUKANSAN solution. 　　Based on these results, patients who like sourness preferred all four kinds of deglutition aid jellies, except for the chocolate flavor. We believe that recommending chocolate flavor to patients who refuse to take bitter medication will facilitate continuation of the administration.