In short
Banana flavour is an inactive ingredient used in a clinical trial of azithromycin for children hospitalised with asthma-like symptoms. The trial (NCT05028153) is a Phase 2 study involving 320 children aged 1–5 years. Banana flavour is not the medicine being tested; it is used to make the oral medicine easier to take. The trial is currently authorised to proceed.
Key points
- Banana flavour is an inactive ingredient, not the active medicine being studied.
- The trial tests azithromycin against placebo in hospitalised children aged 1–5 years with asthma-like symptoms.
- The study is in Phase 2 and has 320 participants.
- The trial status is Authorised, meaning it has been approved to start.
- The main outcome is the duration of the asthma-like episode in days.
- The medicine is given orally, and the azithromycin dose listed is 500 mg.
What is banana flavour?
Banana flavour is a flavouring agent used in medicines to improve their taste. In the clinical trial record, it appears as an inactive ingredient in an oral preparation. It is not the active substance being tested; the active medicine in this trial is azithromycin, an antibiotic.
How does banana flavour work?
Banana flavour does not have a medical effect. It is added to medicines to make them more acceptable to children by masking unpleasant tastes. The trial record does not describe any mechanism of action for banana flavour, because it is not a medicine.
Which conditions is banana flavour used or studied for?
- Childhood asthma — the trial investigates azithromycin in children hospitalised with asthma-like symptoms, and banana flavour is part of the oral formulation used in the study.
How is banana flavour given?
Banana flavour is given orally as part of a liquid or solid oral preparation. In the trial, it is listed as an oral ingredient alongside other inactive substances such as sodium phosphate dodecahydrate, xanthum gum, hydroxypropyl cellulose LF and sucrose. The azithromycin dose in the trial is 500 mg, and the banana flavour amount is listed as 0 mg, meaning the exact quantity was not reported in the register.
What do the clinical trials show?
One clinical trial involving banana flavour is registered. It is a Phase 2 interventional study with 320 participants, all children aged 1–5 years hospitalised with asthma-like symptoms. The trial compares a three-day course of azithromycin against placebo. The main outcome measured is the duration of the asthma-like episode in days from the start of randomisation. The study is currently authorised, meaning it has received approval to begin. The trial record does not report results yet, so no findings are available at this stage.
What side effects are known?
No side effects of banana flavour are reported in the provided sources. The trial record does not list adverse events for banana flavour, as it is an inactive ingredient.