, WI *This article represents the scientific opinion of many experts and, in particular, is derived from a series of workshops held under the auspices of the Federation International Pharmaceutique (FIP) and cosponsored by the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (UK), the Bundesverband der Pharmazeutischen Industrie (BPI), Colloquium Pharmaceuticum (Germany), the American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists (AAPS, US), and the US Food and Drug Administration. It is

Orally disintegrating tablets (ODT) are solid dosage forms that disintegrate in the oral cavity leaving an easy-to-swallow residue.The disintegration times are generally less than one minute.For orally disintegrating tablets,taste-masking of bitter or objectional-tasting drug substances is critical.The taste-masking aspect plays a significant role in dissolution method development,specifications,and testing.The USP 2 paddle apparatus is the most suitable and common choice for orally disintegrating tablets.Discriminating, robust dissolution methods are extremely useful for monitoring process optimization and changes during scale-up of taste-masked bulk drug and tablet manufacture.

Microelectrodes have been used to modify locally the electrochemical activity on glassy carbon electrodes. Glassy carbon was electrochemically oxidized to form an oxide layer which is inhibitory toward certain electron-transfer reactions. Activity was restored through the application of hydroxide, which was generated electrochemically at the tip of a microelectrode. With the tip positioned in close proximity to the anodized glassy carbon surface, microdomains of electrochemical activity were created in an otherwise inactive matrix. The distribution of electrochemical activity was characterized using electrochemical feedback at the microelectrode, electrogenerated chemiluminescence imaging, and electrodeposition of silver. Spatially directed activation of the glassy carbon surface was accomplished in the micrometer domain.

Light produced by the electrogenerated chemiluminescence reaction of luminol in alkaline peroxide was monitored with a sensitive imaging system. The light images were taken to represent the level of microscopically local activity on the electrode surface with a spatial resolution in the submicrometer domain. The temporal resolving capabilities of the imaging system permitted the construction of time‐sequenced images and intensity‐potential profiles, the latter being equivalent to a microscopically local voltammogram. Spatial variation in luminol oxidation kinetics were observed at porphyrin‐coated glassy carbon, carbon paste, and anodized glassy carbon electrodes. Implications for other composites and microelectrodes are discussed.

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